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EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS 
ON THE GOSPELS. 



FOR FAMILY AND PRIVATE USE 



WITH THE TEXT COMPLETE. 



BY THE REV, J. C> RYLE, B.A., 

CHRIST CHURCH, OXFORD, 

RECTOR OF HELMINGHAM, SUFFOLK ; 

AUTHOR OF " LIVING OR DEAD," " WHEAT OR CHAFF," " STARTLING QUESTIONS," 
"RICH OR POOR," "PRIEST, PURITAN, AND PREACHER," ETC. 



ST, MATTHEW. 



NEW YORK- 
ROBERT CARTER & BROTHERS, 



53 BROADWAY. 



I860, 






rlS 



STEREOTYPED BY 8. B. THOMSON, PRINTED BY 

THOMAS B. SMITH, BINDER, E.O. JENKINS 

88 & 84 Beekman-street. 82 & 84 Beekman-st. 26 Frankfort-et. 






PREFACE. 

In sending forth the first volume of a new expository 
work upon the Gospels, I feel it necessary, in order to 
prevent misapprehension, to offer some explanation of 
the character and design of the work. 

The " Expository Thoughts/' which are now before 
the reader, are not a learned, critical commentary. I 
do not profess to expound every verse of the Gospels, 
grapple with every difficulty, attempt the solution of 
every hard text, and examine every disputed reading or 
translation. 

The " Expository Thoughts" are not a continuous 
and homiletic exposition, containing practical remarks 
on every verse, like the commentaries of Brentius and 
G-ualter. 

The plan I have adopted in drawing up the " Expos- 
itory Thoughts" is as follows. I have divided the sacred 
text into sections or passages, averaging about twelve 
verses in each. I have then supplied a continuous 
series of short, plain "Expositions" of each of these 



IV PREFACE, 

passages. In each Exposition I have generally begun 
by stating as briefly as possible the main scope and 
purpose of the passage under consideration. I have 
then selected two, three, or four prominent points in 
the passage, singled them out from the rest, dwelt ex- 
clusively on them, and endeavored to enforce them 
plainly and vigorously on the reader's attention. The 
points selected will be found to be sometimes doctrinal, 
and sometimes practical. The only rule in selection has 
been to seize on the really leading points of the passage. 
In style and composition I frankly avow that I have 
studied, as far as possible, to be plain and pointed, and 
to choose what an old divine calls " picked and packed" 
words. I have striven to place myself in the position 
of one who is reading aloud to others, and must arrest 
their attention, if he can. I have said to myself in 
writing each Exposition, " I am addressing a mixed 
Company, and I have but a short time." Keeping this 
in view, I have constantly left unsaid many things that 
might have been said, and have endeavored to dwell 
chiefly on the things needful to salvation. I have de- 
liberately passed over many subjects of secondary 
importance, in order to say something that might strike 
and stick in consciences. I have felt that a few points, 
well remembered and fastened down, are better than a 

■I 



PREFACE. V 

quantity of truth lying loosely and thinly scattered over 
the mind. 

A few foot-notes explaining difficult passages, have 
occasionally been added to the exposition. I have 
thought it good to add these notes for the information 
of readers, who may feel a wish to know what can be 
said about the "deep things" of Scripture, and may 
have no commentary of their own. If the reading 
public should ever demand another edition of the work, 
the number of these foot-notes will probably be much 
increased. 

I cannot, of course, expect that the opinions ex- 
pressed in these expositions, whether about doctrine, 
practice, or prophecy, will be satisfactory and acceptable 
to every one. I can only say, I have spoken out freely, 
and kept back nothing that seemed to me true. I have 
set down nothing but what I conscientiously believe to 
be the real meaning of the inspired writer, and the mind 
of the Spirit. I have always held that truth is most 
likely to be reached, when men on all sides conceal 
nothing, but tell out all their minds. Right or wrong, 
I have endeavored to tell out my own mind. It is my 
firm conviction, that I have said nothing in these ex- 
positions which is not in perfect harmony with the 
thirty-nine articles of my own church, and does not 



VI PREFACE. 

agree in the main with all the Protestant confessions of 
faith. The words of an old divine will explain the kind 
of theology, to which I ever desire to conform ; — " I 
know no true religion but Christianity ; no true Chris- 
tianity but the doctrine of Christ ; of His divine person, 
(Col. i. 15.) of His divine office, (1 Tim. ii. 5.) of His 
divine righteousness, (Jer. xxiii. 6.) and of His divine 
Spirit, which all that are His receive. (Rom. viii. 9.) I 
know no true ministers of Christ but such as make it 
their business, in their calling, to commend Jesus Christ, 
in His saving fulness of grace and glory, to the faith 
and love of men. I know no true Christian, but one 
united to Christ by faith, and abiding in Him by faith 
and love, to the glorifying of the name of Jesus Christ, 
in the beauties of gospel holiness. Ministers and Chris- 
tians of this spirit, have for many years been my 
brethren and companions, and I hope ever shall be, 
whithersoever the hand of the Lord may lead me." — 
Traill's Preface to Throne of Grace. 

I am deeply sensible of the many imperfections and 
defects of the volume which is now sent forth. No one 
perhaps will see them more clearly than I do myself. 
At the same time, I think it only fair to say, that no 
exposition in this volume has been composed without 
deliberate reflection, and laborious examination of other 






PREFACE. Vll 

men's opinions. There are very few passages handled 
in these expositions, concerning which I have not at 
least looked at the views of the following writers : — 
Chrysostom, Augustine, Theophylact, Euthymius ; Cal- 
vin, Brentius, Bucer, Musculus, Gualter, Beza, Bullinger, 
Pellican, Calovius, Cocceius, Baxter, Poole, Hammond, 
Lightfoot, Hall, Da Veil, Whitby, Piscator, Parasuse, 
Ferus, Jansenius, Leigh, Ness, Mayer, Trapp, Henry, 
Gill. Doddridge, Burkitt, Quesnel, Bengel, Scott, A. 
Clarke, Pearce, Adams, Watson, Olshausen, Alford, 
Barnes, Stier. I can say, that I have spent hours, 
days, and weeks in examining the opinions of these 
writers, and that when I differ from them, it is not be- 
cause I do not know their views. 

Commentaries and Expositions of Scripture are so 
numerous in the present day, that I feel it necessary to 
say something as to the class of readers whom I have 
specially had in view in putting forth these Expository 
Thoughts. 

In the first place, I indulge the hope, that the work 
may be found suitable for use at family prayers. The 
supply of works adapted for this purpose has never yet 
been equal to the demand. 

In the next place, I cannot help hoping that the work 
may prove an aid to those ivho visit the sick and the poor. 



Vlll PREFACE. 

The number of persons who visit hospitals, sick-rooms, 
and cottages, with an earnest desire to do spiritual 
good, is now very great. There is reason to believe 
that proper books for reading on such occasions are 
much wanted. 

Last, but not least, I trust that the work may not be 
found unprofitable for private reading, as a companion to 
the Gospels. There are not a few whose callings and 
engagements make it impossible for them to read large 
commentaries and expositions of God's Word. I have 
thought that such may find it helpful to their memories 
to have a few leading points set before their minds, in 
connection with what they read. 

I now send forth the volume with an earnest prayer, 
that it may tend to the promotion of pure and undefiled 
religion, help to extend the knowledge of Christ, and 
be a humble instrument in aid of the glorious work of 
converting and edifying immortal souls. 



J. 0. RYLE. 



Helmingham Rectory, 
December, 1856. 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. 





VIatthew. 


L 


1—17. 




18—25. 


II. 


1—12. 




13—28. 


III. 


1—12. 




13—17. 


IY. 


1—11. 




12—25. 


V. 


1—12. 




13—20 



VI. 



VII. 



VIII. 



/ 



21— 37. 

38 — 48. 
1—8. 

9—15. 

16—24. 

25—34. 

1—11. 

12—20. 

21—29. 

1—15. 



The genealogy of Christ. 

The incarnation and name of Christ. 

The wise men from the East . 

The flight into Egypt, — and subsequent abode 
at Nazareth 

The ministry of John the Baptist . 

The baptism of Christ .... 

The temptation 

The beginning of Christ's ministry, and the 
calling of the first disciples . 

The beatitudes 

The character of true Christians, and the con- 
nection between the teaching of Christ and 
the Old Testament .... 

Spirituality of the law proved by three ex- 
amples 

The Christian law of love set forth. 

Ostentation in almsgiving and prayer for- 
bidden 

The Lord's prayer, and the duty of forgiving 
one another 

The right manner of fasting, — treasure in 
heaven, — the single eye 

Over-carefulness about this world forbidden 

Censoriousness forbidden, — prayer encouraged 

The rule of duty towards others, — the two 
gates, — warning against false prophets 

Uselessness of profession without practice, — 
the two builders 

Miraculous healing of a leprosy, a palsy, and 
a fever .... 



TABLE OF CONTENTS, 



Matthew. 
VIII. 16—27. 



IX. 



XI. 



XII. 



XIII. 



XIV. 



28—34. 

1—13. 

14—26. 

27—37. 
1—15. 

16—23. 

24—33. 

34—42. 

1—15. 

16—24. 

25—30. 

1—13. 

14—21. 

22—37. 

38—50. 



1—23. 
24—43. 
44—50. 
51—58. 

1—12. 
13—21. 
22—36. 



Christ's wisdom in dealing with professors, — 

the storm on the lake calmed . . .76 
The devil cast out of a man in the country of 

the G-ergesenes 80 

A palsied man healed, — the calling of Mat- 
thew the publican 83 

New wine and new bottles, — the ruler's 

daughter raised to life 86 

Two blind men healed, — Christ's compassion 

on the multitude, — the duty of disciples . 90 
The sending forth of the first Christian 

preachers 94 

Instructions to the first Christian preachers . 98 
Warnings to the first Christian j>reachers . 101 
Cheering words to the first Christian preachers 105 
Christ's testimony about John the Baptist . 108 
Unreasonableness of unbelievers exposed. — 

danger of not using the light . . .112 
Greatness of Christ, — fulness of Gospel invi- 
tations 115 

The true doctrine of the Sabbath cleared 

from Jewish error 121 

Wickedness of the Pharisees, — encouraging 

description of Christ's character . . .124 
Blasphemy of Christ's enemies, — sins against 

knowledge, — idle words . . . .128 
Power of unbelief, — danger of imperfect and 
incomplete reformation, — Christ's love to 

His disciples 134 

Parable of the sower 140 

Parable of the wheat and tares . . . 145 
Parables of the treasure, the pearl, and the net 150 
Christ's treatment in His own country, — 

danger of unbelief 154 

Martyrdom of John the Baptist . . .158 
Miracle of the loaves and fishes . . . 161 
Christ walking on the sea . . . .166 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. 



XI 



Matthew 

XV. 1—9. 

10—20. 
21—28. 
29—39. 

XVI. 1—12. 



13—20. 

21—23. 

24—28. 

1—13. 

14—21. 

22 27. 

1—14. 



XVII. 



XVIII. 



XIX. 



XX. 



XXI. 



XXII 



15—20. 



21—35. 
1—15. 



16—22. 
23—30. 



1—16. 
IT— 23. 



24—28. 

29—34. 

1—11. 

12—22. 

23—32. 

33—46. 

1—14. 

1 5—22. 



PAGE 
Hypocrisy of Scribes and Pharisees, — danger 

of traditions 170 

False teachers, — the heart the source of sin . 175 
The Canaanitish mother . . . .179 

Christ's miracles of healing . . . .183 
Enmity of the Scribes and Pharisees, — 

Christ's warning against them . . . .187 
Peter's noble confession . . . . .192 

Peter rebuked 198 

Necessity of self-denial,— value of the soul . 201 
The Transfiguration . . . '. .204 
The young man possessed with a devil healed 210 
The fish and the tribute money . . .214 
Necessity of conversion and humility, — reality 

of hell 218 

Rule for settling differences among Christians, 

— nature of Church discipline . . . 224 
Parable of the unforgiving servant . . . 228 
Christ's judgment about divorces, — Christ's 

tenderness to little children . . . 232 

The rich young man 237 

Danger of riches, — encouragement to forsake 

all for Christ .241 

Parable of the laborers in the vineyard . . 245 
Christ's announcement of His coming death, 

— mixture of ignorance and faith in true 

disciples 250 

True standard of greatness among Christians . 255 
Healing of two blind men .... 259 
Christ's public entry into Jerusalem . .262 
Christ casting the buyers and sellers out of 

the temple, — the barren fig-tree . . . 267 
Christ's reply to the Pharisees demanding His 

authorhVy, — the two sons . . . .271 
Parable of the wicked husbandmen . . 275 
Parable of the great supper .... 279 
The Pharisees' question about paying tribute 283 



Xll 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. 



Matthew page 
XXII. 23 — 33. The Sadducees' question about the resurrection 288 
34 — 46. The Lawyer's question about the great com- 
mandment, — Christ's question to His ene- 
mies 292 

XXIIL 1 — 12. Christ's warning against the teaching of the 

Scribes and Pharisees .... 296 
13 — 33. Eight charges against the Scribes and Phari- 
sees 300 

34 — 39. Christ's last public words to the Jews . .306 

XXIV. 1 — 14. Prophecy on the mount of Olives, — about the 

destruction of Jerusalem, — Christ's second 

coming, and the end of the world . . 311 
15 — 28. Prophecy continued, about miseries to come 

at the first and second sieges of Jerusalem . 316 

29 — 35. Second advent of Christ described . . . 321 
36 — 51. Time just before second advent described, and 

watchfulness enjoined 825 

XXV. 1 — 13. Parable of the ten virgins .... 330 

14—30. Parable of the talents 335 

31 — 46. Last judgment 340 

XXVI. 1 — 13. The woman who anointed our Lord's head . 345 
14—25. The false apostle, and his besetting sin . . 349 
26 — 35. The Lord's supper and the first communicants 354 
36 — 46. The agony in the garden .... 361 
47 — 56. The false apostle's kiss, — the voluntary sub- 
mission of Christ 366 

57 — 68. Christ before the Jewish council . . . 370 

69 — 75. Teter's denial of his Master .... 374 

XXVII. 1—10. The end of Judas Iscariot . . . .378 
11 — 26. Christ condemned before Pilate . . . 384 
27 — 1-4. Christ's sufferings in the hands of the soldiers, 

and crucifixion 388 

45 — 40. Christ's death, and signs accompanying it . 393 
47 — 66. Christ's burial, and vain precautions of His 

enemies to prevent His resurrection . . 398 

XXVIII. 1—11. Christ's resurrection 402 

12 — 20. Christ's parting charge to His disciples . . 40 1 ? 



EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS 



ON THE GOSPELS. 



MATTHEW I. 1—17. 



1 The book of the generation of 
Jesus Christ, the son of David, the 
son of Abraham. 

2 Abraham begat Isaac ; and Isaac 
begat Jacob ; and Jacob begat Judas 
and his brethren ; 

3 And Judas begat Phares and Zara 
of Thamar ; and Pnares begat Esrom ; 
and Esrom begat Aram ; 

4 And Aram begat Aminadab ; and 
Aminadab begat Naasson ; and Naas- 
Bon begat Salmon ; 

5 And Salmon begat Booz of Ba- 
obab ; and Booz begat Obed of Buth ; 
and Obed begat Jesse ; 

6 And Jesse begat David the king ; 
and David the king begat Solomon of 
her that had been the wife of Urias ; 

7 And Solomon begat Boboam ; and 
Boboam begat Abia ; and Abia begat 
Asa; 

8 And Asa begat Josaphat ; and 
Josaphat begat Joram ; and Joram 
begat Ozias ; 

9 And Ozias begat Joatham ; and 
Joatham begat Achaz ; and Achaz be- 
gat Ezekias ; 



10 And Ezekias begat Manasses ; 
and Manasses begat Amon , and Amon 
begat Josias ; 

11 And Josias begat Jechonias and 
his brethren, abont the time they 
were carried away to Babylon : 

12 And after they were brought to 
Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel ; 
and Salathiel begat Zorobabel ; 

13 And Zorobabel begat Abiud ; and 
Abiud begat Eliakim ; and Eliakim 
begat Azor ; 

14 And Azor begat Sadoc; andSadoc 
begat Achim ; and Achim begat Eliud ; 

15 And Eliud begat Eleazar; and 
Eleazar begat Matthan ; and Matthan 
begat Jacob ; 

16 And Jacob begat Joseph the 
husband of Mary, of whom was born 
Jesus, who is called Christ. 

17 So all the generations, from 
Abraham to David, are fourteen gen- 
erations ; and from David, until the 
carrying away into Babylon, are four- 
teen generations ; and from the carry- 
ing away into Babylon unto Christ, 
are fourteen generations. 



These verses begin the New Testament. Let us always 
read them with serious and solemn feelings. The book 
before us contains not the word of men, but of G-od. 
Every verse in it was written by inspiration of the Holy 
Ghost. 



2 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS, 

Let us thank God daily for giving us the Scriptures. 
The poorest Englishman who understands his Bible, 
knows more about religion than the wisest philosophers 
of Greece and Kome. 

Let us remember our deep responsibility. We shall 
all be judged at the last day according to our light. To 
whomsoever much is given, of them much will be required. 

Let us read our Bibles reverently and diligently, with 
an honest determination to believe and practise all we 
find in them. It is no light matter how we use this 
book. Eternal life or death depends on the spirit in 
which it is used. 

Above all let us humbly pray for the teaching of the 
Holy Spirit. He alone can apply truth to our hearts, 
and make us profit by what we read. 

The New Testament begins with the life, death, and 
resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. No part of the 
Bible is so important as this, and no part is so full and 
complete. Four distinct Gospels tell us the story of 
Christ's doing and dying. Four times over we read the 
precious account of His works and words. How thankful 
we ought to be for this ! To know Christ is life eternal. 
To believe in Christ is to have peace with God. To 
follow Christ is to be a true Christian. To be with 
Christ will be heaven itself. We can never hear too 
much about Jesus Christ. 

The Gospel of St. Matthew begins with a long list of 
names. Sixteen verses are taken up with tracing a 
pedigree from Abraham to David, and from David to the 
family in which Jesus was bom. Let no one think that 
these verses are useless. Nothing is useless in creation. 



The least mosses, and the smallest insects, serve some good 
end. Nothing is useless in the Bible. Every word of it 
is inspired. The chapters and verses which seem at first 
sight unprofitable, are all given for some good purpose, 
Look again at these sixteen verses, and you will see in 
them useful and instructive lessons. 

Learn from this list of names, that God always keeps 
His word. He had promised, that in Abraham's seed 
all the nations of the earth should be blessed. He had 
promised to raise up a Saviour of the family of David. 
(Gen. xii. 3 ; Isaiah xi. 1.) These sixteen verses prove, 
that Jesus was the son of David and the son of Abra- 
ham, and that God's promise was fulfilled. — Thoughtless 
and ungodly people should remember this lesson, and be 
afraid. Whatever they may think, God will keep His 
word. If they repent not, they will surely perish. — True 
Christians should remember this lesson, and take comfort. 
Their Father in heaven will be true to all His engage- 
ments. He has said, that He will save all believers in 
Christ. If He has said it, He will certainly do it. " He 
is not a man that He should lie." " He abideth faith- 
ful : He can not deny Himself." (2 Tim. ii. 13.) 

Learn next from this list of names the sinfulness and 
corruption of human nature. Observe how many godly 
parents in this catalogue had wicked and ungodly sons. 
The names of Roboam, and Joram,and Amon,and Jecho- 
nias, should teach us humbling lessons. They had all pious 
fathers. But they were all wicked men. Grace does not 
run in families. It needs something more than good 
examples and good advice to make us children of God. 
They that are born again are not born of blood, nor of 



4 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS, 

the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, hut of God, 
(John i. 13.) Praying parents should pray night and 
day, that their children may he horn of the Spirit. 

Learn lastly from this list of names, how great is the 
mercy and compassion of ottr Lord Jesus Christ. Think 
how defiled and unclean our nature is ; and then think 
what a condescension it was in Him to be horn of a 
woman, and " made in the likeness of men." Some of the 
names we read in this catalogue remind us of shameful 
and sad histories. Some of the names are those of per- 
sons never mentioned elsewhere in the Bible. But at the 
end of all comes the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. 
Though He is the eternal God, He humbled Himself to 
become man, in order to provide salvation for sinners. 
" Though he was rich, yet for our sakes he became poor." 

We should always read this catalogue with thankful 
feelings. We see here that no one who partakes of 
human nature can be beyond the reach of Christ's 
sympathy and compassion. Our sins may have been as 
black and great as those of any whom St. Matthew 
names. But they can not shut us out of heaven, if we 
repent and believe the gospel. If Jesus was not ashamed 
to be born of a woman, whose pedigree contained such 
names as those we have read to-day, we need not thinl? 
that He will be ashamed to call us brethren^ and to give 
us eternal life. 



MATTHEW I. 18—25. 



18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ 
was on this wise. When as his mother 
Mary was espoused to Joseph, before 
they came together, she was found 
with child of the Holy Ghost. 

19 Then Joseph her husband, being 
a just man, and not willing to make 
her a public example, was minded to 
put her away privily. 

20 But while he thought on these 
things, behold, the angel of the Lord 
appeared unto him in a dream, saying, 
Joseph, thou son of David, fear not 
to take unto thee Mary thy wife : for 
that which is conceived in her is of 
the Holy Ghost, 

21 And she shall bring forth a son, 
and thou shalt call his name JESUS : 



for he shall save his people from their 
sins. 

22 Now all this was done, that it 
might be fulfilled which was spoken 
of the Lord by the prophet, say- 
ing, 

23 Behold, a virgin shall be with 
child, and shall bring forth a son, and 
they shall call his name Emmanuel, 
which being interpreted is, God with 
us. 

24 Then Joseph being raised from 
sleep, did as the angel of the Lord 
had bidden him, and took unto him 
his wife : 

25 And knew her not till she had 
brought forth her firstborn son : and 
he called his name JESUS. 



These verses begin by telling us two great truths. They 
tell us how the Lord Jesus Christ took our nature upon 
Him, and became man. They tell us also that His birth 
was miraculous. His mother Mary was a virgin. 

These are very mysterious subjects. They are depths, 
which we have no line to fathom. They are truths, which 
we have not mind enough to comprehend. Let us not 
attempt to explain things which are above our feeble 
reason. Let us be content to believe with reverence, and 
not speculate about matters which we cannot understand. 
Enough for us to know, that with Him who made the 
world nothing is impossible. Let us rest in the words 
of the Apostles' Creed : "Jesus Christ was conceived 
by the Holy Ghost, and born of the Virgin Mary." 

Let us observe the conduct of Joseph described in these 
verses. It is a beautiful example of godly wisdom, and 
tender consideration for others. He saw the " appear- 
ance of evil" in her who was his espoused wife. But he 
did nothing rashly. He waited patiently to have the 



6 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

line of duty made clear. In all probability he laid the 
matter before God in prayer. " He that belie veth shall 
not make haste." (Isaiah xxviii. 16.) 

The patience of Joseph was graciously rewarded. He 
received a direct message from God upon the subject of 
his anxiety, and was at once relieved from all his fears. 
How good it is to wait upon God ! Who ever cast his 
cares upon God in hearty prayer, and found him fail ? 
" In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct 
thy paths." (Prov. iii. 6.) 

Let us observe the tivo names given to our Lord in these 
verses. One is Jesus : the other Emmanuel. One de- 
scribes His office ; the other His nature. Both are 
deeply interesting. 

The name Jesus means " Saviour." It is the same 
name as Joshua in the Old Testament. It is given to 
our Lord because " He saves His people from their sins." 
This is His special office. He saves them from the guilt 
of sin, by washing them in His own atoning blood. He 
saves them from the dominion of sin, by putting in their 
hearts the sanctifying Spirit. He saves them from the 
presence of sin, when He takes them out of this world to 
rest with Him. He will save them from all the conse- 
quences of sin, when He shall give them a glorious body 
at the last day. Blessed and holy are Christ's people ! 
From sorrow, cross, and conflict they are not saved. But 
they are saved from sin for evermore. They are cleansed 
from guilt by Christ's blood. They are made meet for 
heaven by Christ's Spirit. This is salvation. He who 
cleaves to sin is not yet saved. 

Jesus is a very encouraging name to heavy-laden sinners. 



MATTHEW, CHAP. I. 7 

He who is King of kings and Lord of lords might law- 
fully have taken some more high-sounding title. But 
He does not do so. The rulers of this world have often 
called themselves Great, Conquerors, Bold, Magnificent, 
and the like. The Son of God is content to call Himself 
Saviour. The souls which desire salvation may draw 
nigh to the Father with boldness, and have access with 
confidence through Christ. It is His office and His de- 
light to show mercy. " God sent not His Son into the 
world to condemn the world, but that the world through 
Him might be saved." (John iii. 17.) 

Jesus is a name, which is 'peculiarly siveet and precious to 
believers. It has often done them good, when the favour 
of kings and princes would have been heard of with un- 
concern. It has given them what money cannot buy, 
even inward peace. It has eased their wearied consciences, 
and given rest to their heavy hearts. The Song of Solo- 
mon speaks the experience of many, when it says, " thy 
name is as ointment poured forth." (Cant. i. 3.) Happy 
is that person, who trusts not merely in vague notions 
of God's mercy and goodness, but in " Jesus." 

The other name in these verses is scarcely less interest- 
ing than that just referred to. It is the name which is 
given to our Lord from his nature, as " God manifest 
in the flesh." He is called Emmanuel, " God with us." 

Let us take care that we have clear views of our Lord 
Jesus Christ's nature and person. It is a point of the 
deepest importance. We should settle it firmly in our 
minds, that our Saviour is perfect man as well as perfect 
God, and perfect God as well as perfect man. If we once 
lose sight of this great foundation truth, we may run into 



8' EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

fearful heresies. The name Emmanuel takes in the 
whole mystery. Jesus is " God with us." He had a 
nature like our own in all things, sin only excepted. 
But though Jesus was "with us" in human flesh and 
blood , He was at the same time very God. 

We shall often find, as we read the Gospels, that 
our Saviour could be weary, and hungry, and thirsty, — 
could weep, and groan, and feel pain like one of our- 
selves. In all this we see " the man" Christ Jesus. We 
see the nature He took on Him, when He was born of 
the Virgin Mary. 

But we shall also find in the same Gospels that our 
Saviour knew men's hearts and thoughts, — that He had 
power over devils, — that He could work the mightiest 
of miracles with a word, — that He was ministered to by 
angels, — that He allowed a disciple to call Him "my 
God," — and that he said, " Before Abraham was I am," 
and " I and my Father are one." In all this we see 
" the eternal God." We see Him " who is over all, God 
blessed for ever. Amen." (Bom. ix. 5.) 

Would you have a strong foundation for your faith 
and hope ? Then keep in constant view your Saviour's 
divinity. He in whose blood you are taught to trust is 
the Almighty God. All power is His in heaven and 
earth. None can pluck you out of His hand. If you 
are a true believer in Jesus, let not your heart be 
troubled or afraid. 

Would you have sweet comfort in suffering and 
trial ? Then keep in constant view your Saviour's 
humanity. He is the man Christ Jesus, who lay on the 
bosom of the Virgin Mary, as a little infant, and knows 



MATTHEW, CHAP. II, 



9 



the heart of a man. He can be touched with the feeling 
of your infirmities. He has Himself experienced Satan's 
temptations. He has endured hunger. He has shed 
tears. He has felt pain. Trust Him at all times with 
all your sorrows. He will not despise you. Pour out 
all your heart before Him in prayer, and keep nothing 
back. He can sympathize with His people. 

Let these thoughts sink down into our minds. Let us 
bless God for the encouraging truths which the first chapter 
of the New Testament contains. It tells us of One who 
" saves His people from their sins/' But this is not all. 
It tells us that this Saviour is " Emmanuel/' God Him- 
self, and yet God with us ; — God manifest in human flesh 
like our own. This is glad tidings. This is indeed good 
news. Let us feed on these truths in our hearts by faith 
with thanksgiving. 



MATTHEW II. 1—12. 



1 Now when Jesus was born in 
Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of 
Herod the king, behold, there came 
wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 

2 Saying, Where is he that is born 
King of the Jews ? for we have seen 
his star in the east, and are come to 
worship him. 

3 When Herod the king had heard 
these things, he was troubled, and all 
Jerusalem with him. 

4 And when he had gathered all 
the Chief Priests and Scribes of the 
people together, he demanded of them 
where Christ should be born. 

5 Aud they said unto him, In 
Bethlehem of Judaea ; for thus it is 
written b) '"he prophet, 

6 And th i Bethlehem, in the land 
of Juda, art uot the least among the 
princes of Juda : for out of thee shall 
come a Governor, that shall rule my 
people Israel. 

7 Then Herod, when he had privily 
called the wise men, enquired of them 



star 



ap- 



diligently what time the 
peared. 

8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, 
and said, Go and search diligently for 
the young child ; and when ye have 
found him, bring me word again, that 
I may come and worship him also. 

9 When they had heard the king, 
they departed ; and lo, the star, which 
they saw in the east, went before 
them, till it came and stood over 
where the young child was. 

10 When they saw the star, they 
rejoiced with exceeding great joy. 

11 And when they were come into 
the house, they saw the young child 
with Mary his mother, and fell down 
and worshipped him ; and when they 
had opened their treasures, they pre- 
sented unto him gifts ; gold, and 
frankincense, and myrrh. 

12 And being warned of God in a 
dream that they should not return to 
Herod, they departed into their own 
country another way. 



10 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS, 

It is not known who these wise men were. Their names 
and dwelling-place are alike kept hack from us. We are 
only told that they came " from the East." Whether they 
were Chaldeans or Arabians we cannot say. Whether 
they learned to expect Christ from the ten tribes who 
went into captivity, or from the prophecies of Daniel, we 
do not know. It matters little who they were. The 
point which concerns us most is the rich instruction 
which their history conveys. 

These verses show us, that there may be true servants 
of God in places where tve should not expect to find them. 
The Lord Jesus has many " hidden ones" like these wise 
men. Their history on earth may be as little known 
as that of Melchizedek, and Jethro, and Job. But their 
names are in the book of life, and they will be found 
with Christ in the day of His appearing. It is well to 
remember this. We must not look round the earth and 
say hastily, " all is barren/' The grace of Grod is not 
tied to places and families. The Holy Ghost can lead 
souls to Christ without the help of many outward means. 
Men may be born in dark places of the earth, like these 
wise men, and yet like them be made " wise unto salva- 
tion." There are some travelling to heaven at this mo- 
ment, of whom the church and the world know nothing. 
They flourish in secret places like the lily among thorns, 
and " waste their sweetness on the desert air." But 
Christ loves them, and they love Christ. 

These verses teach us, that it is not always those who 
have most religious privileges, ivho give Christ most honor. 
We might have thought that the Scribes and Pharisees 
would have been the first to hasten to Bethlehem, on the 



MATTHEW, CHAP. II. 11 

slightest rumor that the Saviour was born. But it was 
not so. A few unknown strangers from a distant land 
were the first, except the shepherds mentioned by St. 
Luke, to rejoice at His birth. " He came unto his own, 
and his own received him not."' What a mournful pic- 
ture this is of human nature ! How often the same kind 
of thing may be seen among ourselves ! How often the 
very persons who live nearest to the means of grace are 
those who neglect them most ! There is only too much 
truth in the old proverb, " The nearer the church the 
further from God." Familiarity with sacred things has 
an awful tendency to make men despise them. There 
are many, who from residence and convenience ought to 
be first and foremost in the worship of God, and yet are 
always last. There are many, who might well be ex- 
pected to be last, who are always first. 

These verses teach us, that there may he knowledge of 
Scripture in the head, while there is no grace in the heart. 
Mark how king Herod sends to inquire of the priests and 
elders " where Christ should be born." Mark what a 
ready answer they return him, and what an acquaintance 
with the letter of Scripture they show. But they never 
went to Bethlehem to seek for the coming Saviour, 
They would not believe in Him, when He ministered 
among them. Their heads were better than their 
hearts. — Let us all beware of resting satisfied with head- 
knowledge. It is an excellent thing, when rightly used. 
But a man may have much of it, and yet perish ever- 
lastingly. What is the state of our hearts ? This is the 
great question. A little grace is better than many gifts. 
Gifts alone save no one. But grace leads on to glory. 



12 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

The conduct of the wise men described in this chapter 
is a splendid example of spiritual diligence. What trouble 
it must have cost them to travel from their homes to the 
house where Jesus was born \ How many weary miles 
they must have journeyed ! The fatigues of an Eastern 
traveller are far greater than we in England can at all 
understand. The time that such a journey would occupy 
must necessarily have been very great. The dangers to 
be encountered were neither few nor small. But none of 
these things moved them. They, had set their hearts on 
seeing Him "that was born King of the Jews ;" and they 
never rested till they saw Him. They prove to us the truth 
of the old saying, " Where there is a will there is a way." 

It would be well for all professing Christians if they 
were more ready to follow the wise men's example. 
Where is our self-denial ? What pains do we take about 
our souls ? What diligence do we show about following 
Christ ? What does our religion cost us ? These are 
serious questions. They deserve serious consideration. 

Last, but not least, the conduct of the wise men is a 
striking example of faith. They believed in Christ when 
they had never seen Him ; — but that was not all. They 
believed in Him when the Scribes and Pharisees were 
unbelieving ; — but that again was not all. They believed 
in Him when they saw Him a little infant on Mary's 
knee, and worshipped Him as a king. This was the 
crowning point of their faith. — They saw no miracles to 
convince them. They heard no teaching to persuade 
them. They beheld no signs of divinity and greatness 
to overawe them. They saw nothing but a new-born 
infant, helpless and weak, and needing a mother's care 



:atthew,. chap. ii. 



18 



like any one of ourselves. And yet when they saw that 
infant, they believed that they saw the divine Saviour of 
the world. " They fell down and worshipped Him." 

We read of no greater faith than this in the whole 
volume of the Bible. It is a faith that deserves to be 
placed side by side with that of the penitent thief. The 
thief saw one dying the death of a malefactor, and yet 
prayed to Him, and " called Him Lord." The wise men 
saw a new-born babe on the lap of a poor woman, and 
yet worshipped Him and confessed that He was Christ. 
Blessed indeed are those that can believe in this fashion ! 

This is the kind of faith, let us remember, that God 
delights to honor. We see the proof of that at this 
very day. Wherever the Bible is read the conduct of 
these wise men is known, and told as a memorial of 
them. Let us walk in the steps of their faith. Let us 
not be ashamed to believe in Jesus and confess Him, 
though all around us remain careless and unbelieving, 
Have we not a thousand-fold more evidence than the wise 
men had, to make us believe that Jesus is the Christ ? 
Beyond doubt we have. Yet where is our faith ? 



MATTHEW II. 13—23. 



13 And -when they were departed, 
behold, the angel of the Lord appear- 
ed to Joseph in a dream, saying, 
Arise, and take the yonug child and 
his mother, and flee into Egypt, and 
be thou there until I bring thee word : 
for Herod will seek the young child 
to destroy him. 

14 When he arose, he took the 
young child and his mother by night, 
and departed into Egypt : 

15 And was there until the death 
of Herod : that it might be fulfilled 
which was spoken of the Lord bv the 



prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I 
called my son. 

16 Then Herod, when he saw that 
he was mocked of the wise men, was 
exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and 
slew all the children that were in 
Bethlehem, and in all the coasts 
thereof, from two years old and under, 
according to the time which he had 
diligently enquired of the wise men. 

17 Then was fulfilled that which 
was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, 
saying, 

18 In Kama was there a voice heard, 



14 



EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 



lamentation, and weeping, and great 
mourning, Rachel weeping for her 
children, and would not be comforted, 
because they are not. 

19 But when Herod was dead, be- 
hold, an angel of the Lord appeareth 
in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 

20 Saying, Arise, and take the 
young child and his mother, and go 
into the land of Israel : for they are 
dead which sought the young child's 
life. 

21 And he arose, and took the 



young child and his mother, and 
came into the land of Israel. 

22 But when he heard that Arche- 
laus did reign in Judsea in the room 
of his father Herod, he was afraid to 
go thither : notwithstanding, being 
warned of God in a dream, he turned 
aside into the parts of Galilee : 

23 And he came and dwelt in a 
city called Nazareth : that it might 
be fulfilled which was spoken by the 
prophets, He shall be called a Naza- 



Observe in this passage, how true it is that the rulers 
of this ivorld are seldom friendly to the cause of God. 
The Lord Jesus comes down from heaven to save sin- 
ners, and at once we are told that Herod the king " seeks 
to destroy him." 

Greatness and riches are a perilous possession for the 
soul. They know not what they seek who seek to have 
them. They lead men into many temptations. They 
are likely to rill the heart with pride, and to chain the 
affections down to things below. " Not many mighty, 
not many noble are called." " How hardly shall a rich 
man enter the kingdom of God." 

Do you envy the rich and great ? Does your heart 
say, "Oh ! that I had their place, and rank, and sub- 
stance ?" Beware of giving way to the feeling. The 
very wealth which you admire may be gradually sinking 
its possessor down into hell. A little more money might 
be your ruin. Like Herod you might run into every 
excess of wickedness and cruelty. " Take heed, and 
beware of covetousness." " Be content with such things 
as you have." 

Do you think that Christ's cause depends on the power 
and patronage of princes ? You are mistaken. They 



MATTHEW, CHAP. II. 15 

have seldom done much for the advancement of true 
religion. They have far more frequently been the ene- 
mies of the truth. "Put not your trust in princes." 
Those who are like Herod are many. Those who are 
like Josiah and Edward the Sixth of England are few. 

Observe how the Lord Jesus ivas " a man of sorroivs" 
even from His infancy. Trouble awaits Him as soon 
as He enters into the world. His life is in danger from 
Herod's hatred. His mother and Joseph are obliged 
to take Him away by night, and " flee into Egypt." It 
was only a type and figure of all His experience upon 
earth. The waves of humiliation began to beat over 
Him, even when He was a sucking child. 

The Lord Jesus is just the Saviour that the suffering 
and sorrowful need. He knows well what we mean, 
when we tell Him in prayer of our troubles. He can 
sympathize with us, when we cry to Him under cruel 
persecution. Let us keep nothing back from Him. Let 
us make Him our bosom friend. Let us pour out our 
hearts before Him. He has had great experience of 
affliction. 

Observe how death can remove the kings of this world 
like other men. The rulers of millions have no power to 
retain life, when the hour of their departure comes. The 
murderer of helpless infants must himself die. Joseph 
and Mary hear the tidings that " Herod is dead ;" and 
at once they return in safety to their own land. 

True Christians should never be greatly moved by the 
persecution of man. Their enemies may be strong, and 
they may be weak ; but still they ought not to be afraid. 
They should remember that " the triumphing of the wicked 



10 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

is but short/' What has become of the Pharaohs and 
Neros and Diocletians, who at one time fiercely perse- 
cuted the people of God? Where is the enmity of Charles 
the Ninth of France, and Bloody Mary of England ? 
They did their utmost to cast the truth down to the 
ground. But the truth rose again from the earth, and 
still lives ; and they are dead, and mouldering in the 
grave. Let not the heart of any believer fail. Death is a 
mighty leveller, and can take any mountain out of the 
way of Christ's church. " The Lord liveth" for ever. His 
enemies are only men. The truth shall always prevail. 

Observe, in the last place, ivliat a lesson of humility is 
taught us by the divelling place of the Son of God, when 
He was on earth. He dwelt with His mother and 
Joseph " in a city called Nazareth/' 

Nazareth was a small town in Galilee. It was anj 
obscure, retired place, not so much as once mentioned in 
the Old Testament. Hebron, and Shiloh, and Gibeon, 
and Bethel, were far more important places. But the 
Lord Jesus passed by them all, and chose Nazareth. 
This was humility. 

In Nazareth the Lord Jesus lived thirty years. It was 
there He grew up from infancy to childhood, and from 
childhood to boyhood, and from boyhood to youth, and 
from youth to man's estate. We know little of the 
manner in which those thirty years were spent. That 
He was " subject to Mary and Joseph," we are expressly 
told. That He worked in the carpenter's shop with 
Joseph, is highly probable. We only know, that almost' 
five sixths of the time that the Saviour of the world was 
on earth was passed among the poor of this world, and 



MATTHEW, CHAP. IIL 



17 



passed in complete retirement. Truly this was hu- 
mility. 

Let us learn wisdom from our Saviour's example. We 
are far too ready to " seek great things" in this world. 
Let us seek them not. To have a place, and a title, and 
a position in society, is not nearly so important as people 
think. It is a great sin to be covetous, and worldly, and 
proud, and carnal-minded. But it is no sin to be poor. 
It matters not so much where we live, as what we are in 
the sight of God. Where are we going when we die ? 
Shall we live for ever iu heaven ? These are the main 
things to which we should attend. 

Above all, let us daily strive to copy our Saviour's 
humility. Pride is the oldest and commonest of sins. 
Humility is the rarest and most beautiful of graces. For 
humility let us labor. For humility let us pray. Our 
knowledge may be scanty. Our faith may be weak. 
Our strength may be small. But if we are djsciples of 
Him who " dwelt at Nazareth/' let us at any rate be 
humble. 



MATTHEW III. 1—12. 



1 In those days came John the 
Baptist, preaching in the wilderness 
of Judaea, 

2 And saying, Eepent ye : for the 
kingdom of heaven is at hand. 

3 For this is he that was spoken of 
by the prophet Esaias, saying, The 
voice of one crying in the wilderness, 
Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make 
his paths straight. 

4 And the same John had his rai- 
ment of camel's hair, and a leathern 
girdle about his loins ; and his meat 
was locusts and wild honpv. 



5 Then went out to him Jerusalem, 
and all Judcea, and all the region 
round about Jordan, 

6 And were baptized of him in 
Jordan, confessing their sins. 

7 But when he saw many of the 
Pharisees and Sadducees come to his 
baptism, he said unto them, gene- 
ration of vipers, who hath warned you 
to flee from the wrath to come ? 

8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet 
for repentance : 

9 And think not to say within your- 
selves, We have Abraham to our 



18 



EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 



father : for I say unto you, that God 
is able of these stones to raise up 
children uuto Abraham. 

10 And now also the ax is laid unto 
the root of the trees : therefore every 
tree which bringeth not forth good 
fruit is hewn down, and cast into the 
fire. 

11 I indeed baptize you with water 
unto repentance : but he that cometh 



after me is mightier than I, whoso 
shoes I am not worthy to bear : he 
shall baptize you with the Holy 
Ghost, and with fire : 

12 Whose fan is in his hand, and 
he will throughly purge his floor, and 
gather his wheat into'the garner; but 
he will burn up the chaff with un- 
quenchable fire. 



These verses describe the ministry of John the Baptist, 
the forerunner of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is a ministry 
that deserves close attention. Few preachers ever pro- 
duced such effects. " There went out to him Jerusalem, 
and all Judsea, and all the region round about Jordan." 
None ever received such praise from the great Head of 
the Church. Jesus calls him " a burning and a shining 
light." The great Bishop of souls Himself declares, that 
" among them that are born of women there hath not 
arisen a greater than John the Baptist." Let us then 
study the'leading features of his ministry. 

John the Baptist spoke plainly about sin. He taught 
the absolute necessity of "repentance/' before any one 
can be saved. He preached that repentance must be 
proved by its "fruits." He warned men not to rest on 
outward privileges, or outward union with the church. 

This is just the teaching that we all need. We are 
naturally dead, and blind, and asleep in spiritual things. 
We are ready to content ourselves with a mere formal 
religion, and to natter ourselves, that if we go to church 
we shall be saved. We need to be told, that except we 
" repent and are converted" we shall all perish. 

John the Baptist spoke plainly about our Lord Jesus 
Christ. He taught people that one far " mightier than 



MATTHEW, CHAP. HI. 19 

himself" was coming among them. He was nothing 
more than a servant : the Coming One was the King. 
He himself could only " baptize with water :" the Com- 
ing One could " baptize with the Holy Ghost," take 
away sins, and would one day judge the world. 

This again is the very teaching that human nature 
requires. We need to be sent direct to Christ. We are 
all ready to stop short of this. We want to rest in our 
union with the church, regular use of the sacraments, 
and diligent attendance on an established ministry. We 
ought to be told the absolute necessity of union with 
Christ Himself by faith. He is the appointed fountain 
of mercy, grace, life, and peace. We must each have 
personal dealings with Him about our souls. What do 
we know of the Lord Jesus ? What have we got from 
Him ? These are the questions on which our salvation 
hinges. 

John the Baptist spoke plainly about the Holy Ghost. 
He preached that there was such a thing as the baptism 
of the Holy Ghost. He taught that it was the special 
office of the Lord Jesus to give it to men. 

This again is a teaching which we greatly require. 
We need to be told that forgiveness of sin is not the 
only thing necessary to salvation. There is another thing 
yet ; and that is the baptizing of our hearts by the Holy 
Ghost. There must not only be the work of Christ for 
us, but the work of the Holy Ghost in us. There must 
not only be a title to heaven by the blood of Christ, but 
a preparedness for heaven wrought in us by the Spirit of 
Christ. Let us never rest till we know something by 
experience of the baptism of t he Spirit. The baptism of 



20 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

water is a great privilege. But let us see to it that we 
have also the baptism of the Holy Ghost. 

John the Baptist spoke plainly about the awful 
danger of the impenitent and unbelieving. He told 
his hearers that there was a " wrath to come." He 
preached of an " unquenchable fire," in which the chaff 
would one day be burned. 

This again is a teaching which is deeply important. 
We need to be straitly warned, that it is no light matter 
whether we repent or not. We need to be reminded, that 
there is a hell as well as a heaven, and an everlasting 
punishment for the wicked, as well as everlasting life for 
the godly. We are fearfully apt to forget this. We talk 
of the love and mercy of God, and we do not remember 
sufficiently His justness and holiness. Let us be very 
careful on this point. It is no real kindness to keep back 
the terrors of the Lord. It is good for us all to be 
taught that it is possible to be lost for ever, and that all 
unconverted people are hanging over the brink of the pit. 

In the last place, John the Baptist spoke plainly 
about the safety of true believers. He taught, that 
there was "a garner" for all who are Christ's wheat, 
and that they would be gathered together there in the 
day of his appearing. 

This again is a teaching which human nature greatly 
requires. The best of believers need much encourage- 
ment. They are yet in the body. They live in a wicked 
world. They are often tempted by the devil. They 
ought to be often reminded, that Jesus will never leave 
them nor forsake them. He will guide them safely 
through this life, and at length give them eternal glory. 



21 

They shall be hid in the clay of wrath. They shall be 
safe ais Noah in the ark. 

Let these things sink clown deeply into our hearts. 
We live in a day of much false teaching. Let us never 
forget the leading features of a faithful ministry. Happy 
would it have been for the Church of Christ, if all its 
ministers had been more like John the Baptist ! 



MATTHEW III. 13—17. 



13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee 
to Jordan unto John, to be baptized 
of him. 

14 But John forbad him, saying, I 
have need to be baptized of thee, and 
comest thou to me ? 

15 And Jesus answering said unto 
him, Suffer i£ to he so now: for thus 
it bccometh us to fulfil all righteous- 
ness. Then he suffered him. 



1 6 And Jesus, when he was baptized, 
went up straightway out of the water : 
and, lo, the heavens were opened unto 
him, and he saw the Spirit of God 
descending like a dove, and lighting 
upon him : 

17 And lo, a voice from heaven, 
saying, This is my beloved Son, in 
whom I am well pleased. 



You have here the account of our Lord Jesus Christ's 
baptism. This was His first step, when He entered on 
His ministry. When the Jewish priests took up their 
office at the age of thirty, they were washed with water. 
When our great High Priest begins the great work He 
came into the world to accomplish, He is publicly baptized. 

Let us learn from these verses to regard the sacrament 
of baptism with reverence. An ordinance of which the 
Lord Jesus Himself partook, is not to be lightly es- 
teemed. An ordinance to which the great Head of the 
Church submitted, ought to be ever honorable in the 
eyes of professing Christians. 

There are few subjects in religion on which greater 
mistakes have arisen than baptism. There are few which 
require so much fencing and guarding. Let us arm ou? 
minds with two general cautions. 



22 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

Let us beware en the one hand, that toe do not attach 
a superstitious importance to the ivater of baptism. We 
must not expect that water to act as a charm. We must 
not suppose that all baptized persons as a matter of course 
receive the grace of God, in the moment that they are 
baptized. To say that all who come to baptism obtain 
like and equal benefit,— and that it matters not a jot 
whether they come with faith and prayer, or in utter 
carelessness, — to say such things appears to contradict 
the plainest lessons of Scripture. 

Let us beware on the other hand, that ive do not dis- 
honor the sacrament of baptism. It is dishonored when 
it is thrust out of sight, and never publicly noticed in the 
congregation. A sacrament ordained by Christ Himself 
ought not to be treated in this way. The admission of 
every new member into the ranks of the visible church, 
whether young or grown up, is an event which ought to 
excite a lively interest in a Christian assembly. It is an 
event that ought to call forth the fervent prayers of all 
praying people. The more deeply we are convinced that 
baptism and grace are not inseparably tied together, the 
more we ought to feel bound to join in prayer for a 
blessing, whenever any one is baptized. 

The baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ was attended 
by circumstances of peculiar solemnity. Such a bap- 
tism never will be again, so long as the world stands. 

We are told of the presence of all three persons of 
the blessed Trinity. God the Son, manifest in the flesh, 
is baptized. God the Spirit descends like a dove, and 
lights upon Him. God the Father speaks from heaven 
with a voice. In a word we have the manifested presence 



of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Surely we may regard 
this as a public announcement, that the work of Christ 
was the result of the eternal counsels of all the Three. 
It was the whole Trinity, which at the beginning of 
creation said, " let us make man." It was the whole 
Trinity again, which at the beginning of the Gospel 
seemed to say, " let us save man." 

We are told of " a voice from heaven" at our Lord's 
baptism. 

This was a circumstance of singular solemnity. We 
read of no voice from heaven before this, except at the 
giving of the law on Sinai. Both occasions were of 
peculiar importance. It therefore seemed good to our 
Father in heaven to mark both with peculiar honor. 
At the introduction both of the law and Gospel, He 
Himself speaks. 

How striking and deeply instructive are the Father's 
words ! " This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well 
pleased." He declares, in these words, that Jesus is the 
divine Saviour sealed and appointed from all eternity to 
carry out the work of redemption. He proclaims, that 
He accepts Him as the Mediator between God and man. 
He seems to publish to the world, that He is satisfied 
with Him as the propitiation, the substitute, the ransom- 
payer for the lost family of Adam, and the Head of a 
redeemed people. In Him He sees His holy " law mag- 
nified and made honorable." Through Him He can " be 
just, and yet the justifierof the ungodly." (Rom. iii. 26.) 

May we ponder these words well ! They are full of 
rich food for thought. They are full of peace, joy, com- 
fort and consolation, for all who have fled for refuge to 



24 



EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 






the Lord Jesus Christ, and committed their souls to Him 
for salvation. Such may rejoice in the thought, that 
though in themselves sinful, yet in God's sight they are 
counted righteous. The Father regards them as members 
of His beloved Son. He sees in them no spot, and for 
His son's sake is " well pleased." (Ephes. i. 6.) 



MATTHEW IV. 1—11. 



1 Then Jesus was led up of the 
spirit into the wilderness to be tempted 
of the devil. 

2 And when he had fasted forty 
days and forty nights, he was after- 
ward an hungred. 

3 And when the tempter came to 
him, he said, If thou he the Son of 
God, command that these stones be 
made bread. 

4 But he answered and said, It is 
written, Man shall not live by bread 
alone, but by every word that pro- 
ceedeth out of the mouth of God. 

5 Then the devil taketh him up 
into the holy city, and setteth him on 
n pinnacle of the temple, 

6 And saith unto him, If thou be 
the Son of God, cast thyself down : for i 
it is written, He shall give his angels I 
charge concerning thee : and in their 1 



hands they shall bear thee up, lest at 
any time thou dash thy foot against a 
stone. 

7 Jesus said unto him, It is writ- 
ten again, Thou shalt not tempt the 
Lord thy God. 

8 Again, the devil taketh him up 
into an exceeding high mountain, and 
sheweth him all the kingdoms of the 
world, and the glory of them ; 

9 And saith unto him, All these 
things will I give thee, if thou wilt 
fall down and worship me. 

10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get 
thee hence, Satan: for it is written, 
Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, 
and him only shalt thou serve. 

11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, 
behold, angels came and ministered 
unto him. 



The first event in our Lord's ministry which St. Matthew 
records after His baptism, is His temptation. This is a 
deep and mysterious subject. There is much in the 
history of it which we cannot explain. But there lie on 
the face of the history plain practical lessons, to which 
we shall do well to take heed. 

Let us learn in the first place, what a real and mighty 
enemy ive have in the devil. He is not afraid to assault | 
even the Lord Jesus Himself. Three times over he attacks 
God's own Son. Our Saviour was "tempted of the devil." 

It was the devil who brought sin into the world at the 



MATTHEW, CHAP. IV. 25 

beginning. This is he, who vexed Job, deceived David, and 
gave Peter a heavy fall. This is he, whom the Bible calls 
a "murderer/' a " liar," and a " roaring lion." This is he, 
whose enmity to our souls never slumbers and never sleeps. 
This is he, who for nearly .6000 years has been working at 
cne work, to ruin men and women, and draw them to hell. 
This is he, whose cunning and subtlety pass man's un- 
derstanding, and who often appears " an angel of light." 

Let us all watch and pray daily against his devices. 
There is no enemy worse than an enemy who is never 
seen and never dies, who is near to us wherever we live, 
and goes with us wherever we go. Not least let us 
beware of that levity and jesting about the devil, which 
is so unhappily common. Let us remember every day, 
that if we would be saved, we must not only crucify the 
flesh, and overcome the world, but also " resist the devil." 

Let us learn in the next place, that toe must not count 
temptation a strange thing. " The disciple is not greater 
than his master, nor the servant than his lord." If Satan 
came to Christ, he will also come to Christians. . 

It would be well for all believers, if they would remem- 
ber this. They are too apt to forget it. They often find 
evil thoughts arising within their minds, which they can 
truly say they hate. Doubts, questions, and sinful ima- 
ginings are suggested to them, against which their 
whole inward man revolts. But let not these things 
destroy their peace, and rob them of their comforts. Let 
them remember there is a devil, and not be surprised to 
find him near them. To be tempted is in itself no sin. 
It is the yielding to the temptation, and giving it a place 
in our hearts, which we must fear. 

2 



26 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

Let us learn in the next place, that the chief weapon 
we ought to use in resisting Satan is the Bible. Three 
times the great enemy offered temptations to our Lord. 
Three times nis offer was refused, with a text of Scrip- 
ture as the reason, " it is written/' 

Here is one among many reasons, why we ought to be 
diligent readers of our Bibles. The Word is the sword of 
the Spirit. We shall never tight a good fight, if we do not 
use it as our principal weapon. — The Word is the lamp 
for our feet. We shall never keep the king's highway 
to heaven, if we do not journey by its light. — It may well 
be feared, that there is not enough Bible-reading amongst 
us. It is not sufficient to have the Book. We must 
actually read it, and pray over it ourselves. It will do us 
no good, if it only lies still in our houses. We must be 
actually familiar with its contents, and have its texts 
stored in our memories and minds. Knowledge of the 
Bible never comes by intuition. It can only be got by 
hard, regular, daily, attentive, wakeful reading. Do we 
grudge the time and trouble this will cost us ? If we 
do, we are not yet fit for the kingdom of God. 

Let us learn in the last place, what a sympathizing 
Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ is. " In that he himself 
hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them 
that are tempted/' (Heb. ii. 18.) 

The sympathy of Jesus is a truth which ought to be 
peculiarly dear to all believers. They will find in it a 
mine of strong consolation. They should never forget, 
that they have a mighty Friend in heaven, who feels for 
them in all their temptations, and can enter into all their 
spiritual anxieties. Are they ever tempted by Satan to 



MATTHEW, CHAP. IV. 



27 



distrust God's care and goodness ? So was Jesus. — Are 
they ever tempted to presume on Grod's mercy, and run 
into danger without warrant ? So also was Jesus. — Are 
they ever tempted to commit some one great private sin 
for the sake of some great seeming advantage ? So also 
was Jesus. — Are they ever tempted to listen to some mis- 
application of Scripture, as an excuse for doing wrong ? 
So also was Jesus. — He is just the Saviour that a 
tempted people require. Let them flee to Him for help, 
and spread before Him all their troubles. They will find 
His ear ever ready to hear, and His heart ever ready to 
feel. He can understand their sorrows. 

May we all know the value of a sympathizing Saviour 
by experience ! There is nothing to be compared to it in 
this cold and deceitful world. Those who seek their 
happiness in this life only, and despise the religion of the 
Bible, have no idea what true comfort they are missing. 



MATTHEW IV. 12—25. 



12 Now when Jesus had heard that 
John was cast into prison, he departed 
into Galilee ; 

13 And leaving Nazareth, he came 
and dwelt in Capernaum, which is 
upon the sea coast, in the borders of 
Zabulon and Nephthalim : 

14 That it might be fulfilled which 
was spoken by Esaias the prophet, 
Baying, 

15 The land of Zabulon, and the 
land of Nephthalim by the way of 
the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of 
the Gentiles ; 

16 The people which sat in darkness 
Saw great light ; and to them which 
sat in the region and shadow of death 
light is sprung up. 

17 From that time Jesus began to 
preach, and to say, Kepent : for the 
kingdom of heaven is at hand. 

18 And Jesus, walking by the aea 



of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon 
called Peter, and Andrew his brother, 
casting a net into the sea ; for they 
were fishers. 

19 And he saith unto them, Follow 
me, and I will make yon fishers of 
men. 

20 And they straightway left their 
nets, and followed him. 

21 And going on from thence, he 
saw other two brethren, James the 
son, of Zebedee, and John his brother, 
in a ship with Zebedee their father, 
mending their nets ; and he called 
them. 

22 And they immediately left the 
ship and their father, and followed 
him. 

23 And Jesus went about all Gali- 
lee, teaching in their synagogues, and 
preaching the Gospel of the kingdom, 
and healing all manner of sicknesa 



28 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

and all maimer of disease among the i and those that had the palsy ; and ha 



people. 

24 And his lame (vent throughout 
all Syria ; and they brought unto him 
all s'ick people that were taken with 
divers diseases and torments, and 
those which were possessed with 
devils, and those Avhich were lunatic, 



healed them. 

25 And there followed him great 
multitudes of people from Galilee, 
and from Decapolis, and from Jeru- 
salem, and from Judaea, and from 
beyond Jordan. 



We have in these verses the beginning of our Lord's 
ministry among men. He enters on His labors among 
a dark and ignorant people. He chooses men to be His 
companions and disciples. He confirms His ministry 
by miracles, which rouse the attention of u all Syria," 
and draw multitudes to hear Him. 

Let us notice the way in ivhich our Lord commenced 
His mighty work. " He began to preach." 

There is no office so honorable as that of the preacher. 
There is no work so important to the souls of men. It is 
an office which the Son of G-od was not ashamed to take 
up. It is an office to which He appointed His twelve 
apostles. It is an office to which St. Paul in his old age 
specially directs Timothy's attention. He charges him 
with almost his last breath to " preach the word." It is 
the means which God has always been pleased to use 
above any other, for the conversion and edification of 
souls. The brightest days of the Church have been those 
when preaching has been honored. The darkest clays 
of the Church have been those when it has been lightly 
esteemed. Let us honor the sacraments and public 
prayers of the Church, and reverently use them. But 
let us beware that we do not place them above preaching. 

Let us notice the first doctrine which the Lord Jesus 
proclaimed to the world. He began to say " repent." 

The necessity of repentance is one of the great founda- 



29 

tions, which lie at the very bottom of Christianity. It 
needs to be pressed on all mankind without exception. — 
High or low, rich or poor, all have sinned and are guilty 
before G-od ; and all must repent and be converted, if 
they would be saved. And true repentance is no light 
matter. It is a thorough change of heart about sin, a 
change showing itself in godly sorrow and humiliation, — 
in heartfelt confession before the throne of grace, — in a 
complete breaking off from sinful habits, and an abiding 
hatred of all sin. Such repentance^ is the inseparable 
companion of saving faith in Christ. Let us prize the 
doctrine highly. It is of the highest importance. No 
Christian teaching can be called sound, which does not 
constantly bring forward " repentance toward God and 
faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ/' (Acts xx. 21.) 

Let us notice the class of men ivlwm the Lord Jesus 
chose to be His disciples. They were of the poorest and 
humblest rank in life. Peter, and Andrew, and James, 
and John, were all "fishermen." 

The religion of our Lord Jesus Christ was not intended 
for the rich and learned alone. .It was intended for all 
the world, — and the majority of all the world will always 
be the poor. Poverty and ignorance of books excluded 
thousands from the notice of the boastful philosophers 
of the heathen world. They exclude no one from, the 
highest place in the service of Christ. Is a man humble ? 
Does he feel his sins ? Is he willing to hear Christ's 
voice and follow Him ? If this be so, he may be the 
poorest of the poor, but he shall be found as high as 
any in the kingdom of heaven. Intellect and money" 
are worth nothing without grace. 



30 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

The religion of Christ must have been from heaven, 
or it never could have prospered and overspread the earth 
as it has done. It is vain for infidels to attempt to 
answer this argument. It cannot be answered. A re- 
ligion which did not flatter the rich, the great, and the 
learned, — a religion which offered no license to the carnal 
inclinations of man's heart, — a religion whose first teach- 
ers were poor fishermen, without wealth, rank, or power, — 
such a religion could never have turned the world upside 
down, if it had not been of God. Look at the Roman 
emperors and the heathen priests with their splendid 
temples on the one side ! Look at a few unlearned 
working men with the Gospel on the other ! Were there 
ever two parties so unequally matched ? Yet the weak 
proved strong, and the strong proved weak. Heathenism 
fell, and Christianity took its place. Christianity must 
be of God. 

Let us notice in the last place the general character of 
the miracles by ivhich our Lord confirmed His mission. 
Here we are told of them in the mass. Hereafter we 
shall read many of them described particularly. And 
what is their character ? They were miracles of mercy 
and kindness. Our Lord " went about doing good." 

These miracles are meant to teach us our Lord's power. 
He that could heal sick people with a touch, and cast out 
devils with a word, is " able to save to the uttermost all 
them that come unto God by Him." He is almighty. 

These miracles are meant to be types and emblems of 
our Lord's skill as a spiritual physician. He before 
whom no bodily disease proved incurable, is mighty to 
cure every ailment of our souls. There is no broken 



MATTHEW, CHAP. V. 



31 



heart that He cannot heal. There is no wound of 
conscience that He cannot cure. Fallen, crushed, bruised, 
plague-stricken as we all are by sin, Jesus by His blood 
and Spirit can make us whole. Only let us go to Him. 
These miracles not least are intended to show us Christ's 
heart. He is a most compassionate Saviour. He rejected 
no one who came to Him. He refused no one, however 
loathsome and diseased. He had an ear to hear all, and a 
hand to help all, and a heart to feel for all. There is no 
kindness like His. His compassions fail not. 

May we all remember that Jesus is " the same yester- 
day, to-day, and for ever 1" High in heaven at God's 
right hand, He is not in the least altered. He is just as 
able to save, just as willing to receive, just as ready to 
help, as He was 1800 years ago. Should we have spread 
out our wants before Him then ? Let us do the same 
now. He can " heal all manner of sickness and all 
manner of disease/' 



MATTHEW V. 1—12. 



1 And seeing the multitudes, he 
went up into a mountain : and when 
he was set, his disciplescameunto him : 

2 And he opened his mouth, and 
taught them, saying, 

3" Blessed are the'poor in spirit : for 
their' s is the kingdom of heaven. 

4 Blessed are they that mourn : for 
they shall be comforted. 

5 Blessed are the meek ; for they 
shall inherit the earth. 

6 Blessed are they which do hunger 
and thirst after righteousness : for 
they shall be filled. 

7 Blessed are the merciful ; for they 
shall obtain mercy. 



8 Blessed are the pure in heart : 
for they shall see God. 

9 Blessed are the peacemakers : for 
they shall be called the children of 
God. 

10 Blessed are they which are per- 
secuted for righteousness' sake : for 
their' s is the kingdom of heaven. 

11 Blessed are ye, when men shall 
revile you, and persecute you, and 
shall say all manner of evil against 
you falsely, for my sake. 

12 Eejoice, and be exceeding glad : 
for great is your reward in heaven ; 
for so persecuted they the prophets 
which were before you. 



The three chapters which begin with these verses deserve 
the special attention of all readers of the Bible. They 



32 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

contain what is commonly called the " sermon on the 
mount." 

Every word of the Lord Jesus ought to be most precious 
to professing Christians. It is the voice of the chief 
Shepherd. It is the charge of the great Bishop and Head 
of the Church. It is the Master speaking. It is the 
word of Him who " spake as never man spake/' and by 
whom we shall all be judged at the last day. 

Would we know what kind of people Christians ought 
to be ? Would we know the character at which Chris- 
tians ought to aim ? Would we know the outward walk 
and inward habit of mind which become a follower of 
Jesus ? Then let us often study the sermon on the mount. 
Let us often ponder each sentence, and prove ourselves by 
it. Not least let us often consider who they are that are 
called blessed at the beginning of the sermon. Those 
whom the great High Priest blesses are blessed indeed. 

The Lord Jesus calls those blessed, who are poor in 
spirit. He means the humble, and lowly- minded, and self- 
abased. He means those who are deeply convinced of their 
own sinfulness in God's sight. These are they who are 
not " wise in their own eyes and holy in their own sight." 
They are not " rich and increased with goods." They do 
not fancy they need nothing. They regard themselves as 
" wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and 
naked." Blessed are all such ! Humility is the very first 
letter in the alphabet of Christianity. We must begin 
low, if we would build high. 

The Lord Jesus calls those blessed, who mourn. He 
means those who sorrow for sin, and grieve daily over their 
own short-comings. These are they who trouble them- 



v. 33 

selves more about sin than about anything on earth. 
The remembrance of it is grievous to them. The burden 
of it is intolerable. Blessed are all such ! " The sacrifices 
of God are a broken and contrite spirit." One day they 
shall weep no more. " They shall be comforted." 

The Lord Jesus calls those blessed, who are meek. He 
means those who are of a patient and contented spirit. 
They are willing to put up with little honor here below. 
They can bear injuries without resentment. They are not 
ready to take offence. Like Lazarus in the parable, they 
are content to wait for their good things. Blessed are all 
such ! They are never losers in the long run. One day 
they shall " reign on the earth." (Eev. v. 10.) 

The Lord Jesus calls those blessed, who hunger and 
thirst after righteousness. He means those who desire 
above all things to be entirely conformed to the mind of 
God. They long not so much to be rich, or wealthy, or 
learned, as to be holy. Blessed are all such ! They shall 
have enough one day. They shall " awake up after God's 
likeness and be satisfied." (Psal. xvii. 15.) 

The Lord Jesus calls those blessed, who are merciful. 
He means those who are full of compassion towards others. 
They pity all who are suffering either from sin or sorrow, 
and are tenderly desirous to make their sufferings less. 
They are full of good works, and endeavors to do good. 
Blessed are all such ! Both in this life and that to come, 
they shall reap a rich reward. 

The Lord Jesus calls those blessed, who are pure 
in heart. He means those who do not aim merely at out- 
ward correctness, but at inward holiness. They are not 
satisfied with a mere external show of religion. They 
2* 



84 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

strive to keep a heart and conscience void of offence, and 
to serve God with the spirit and the inner man. Blessed 
are all such ! The heart is the man. " Man looketh on the 
outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart." 
(1 Sam. xvi . 7.) He that is most spiritual-minded will 
have most communion with God. 

The Lord Jesus calls those blessed, who are peace- 
makers. He means those who use all their influence to 
promote peace and charity on earth, in private and in 
public, at home and abroad. He means those who strive 
to make all men love one another, by teaching that 
Gospel which says, " love is the fulfilling of the law;"' 
Blessed are all such ! They are doing the very work 
which the Son of God began, when he came to earth the 
first time, and which He will finish when He returns the 
second time. 

Lastly, the Lord Jesus calls those blessed, who &\'Q per- 
secuted for righteousness sake. He means those who are 
laughed at, mocked, despised, and ill-used, because they 
endeavor to live as true Christians. Blessed are all 
such ! They drink of the same cup which their Master 
drank. They are now confessing Him before men, and 
He will confess them before His Father and the angels at 
the last day. " Great is their reward/' 

Such are the eight foundation-stones, which the Lord 
lays down at the beginning of the sermon on the mount. 
Eight great testing truths are placed before us. May we 
mark well each one of them, and learn wisdom ! 

Let us learn how entirely contrary are the principles of 
Christ to the principles of the world. It is vain to deny 
it. They are almost diametrically opposed. The very 



MATTHEW, CHAP. V. 



35 



characters which the Lord Jesus praises, the world de- 
spises. The very pride, and thoughtlessness, and high 
tempers, and worldliness, and selfishness, and formality, 
and unlovingness, which abound everywhere, the Lord 
Jesus condemns. 

Let us learn how unhappily different is the teaching of 
Christ from the practice of many professing Christians. 
Where shall we find men and women among those who 
go to churches and chapels, who are striving to live up to 
the pattern we have read of to-day ? Alas ! there is 
much reason to fear, that many baptized persons are 
utterly ignorant of what the New Testament contains. 

Above all let us learn how holy and spiritual-minded 
all believers should be. They should never aim at any 
standard lower than that of the sermon on the mount. 
Christianity is eminently a practical religion. Sound 
doctrine is its root and foundation, but holy living should 
always be its fruit. And if we would know what holy 
living is, let us often bethink ourselves who they are that 
Jesus calls " blessed." 



MATTHEW V. 13—20. 



13 Ye are the salt of the earth : but 
if the salt have lost his savor, where- 
with shall it be salted ? it is thenceforth 
good for nothing, but to be east out, 
and to be trodden under foot of men. 

14 Ye are the light of the world. 
A city that is set "on an hill cannot 
be hid. 

15 Neither do men light a candle, 
and put it under a bushel, but on a 
candlestick ; and it giveth light unto 
all that are in the house. 

10 Let your light so shine before 
men, that they may see your good 
works, and glorify your Father which 
is in heaven. 

17 Think uot that I am come to 
destroy the law, or the prophets : I 



am not come to destroy, but to 
fulfil. 

18 For verily I say unto you, Till 
heaven and earth pass, one jot or one 
tittle shall in no wise pass from the 
law, till all be fulfilled. 

19 Whosoever therefore shall break 
one of these least commandments, and 
shall teach men so, he shall be called 
the least in the kingdom of heaven : 
but whosoever shall do and teach 
them, the same shall be called great 
in the kingdom of heaven. 

20 For I say unto you, That except 
your righteousness shall exceed the 
righteousness of the Scribes and Pha- 
risees, ye shall in no case enter into 
the kingdom of heaven. 



36 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

In these verses the Lord Jesus treats of two subjects. 
One is the character which true Christians must support 
and maintain in the world. The other is the relation 
between His doctrines and those of the Old Testament. 
It is of great importance to have clear views on both these 
subjects. 

True Christians are to be in the world like salt. Now 
salt has a peculiar taste of its own, utterly unlike any- 
thing else. When mingled with other substances, it pre- 
serves them from corruption. It imparts a portion of its 
taste to everything it is mixed with. It is useful so long 
as it preserves its savor, but no longer. Are we true 
Christians ? Then behold here our place and its duties ! 

True Christians are to be in the world like light. Now 
it is the property of light to be utterly distinct from dark- 
ness. The least spark in a dark room can be seen at once. 
Of all things created rkht is the most useful. It ferti- 
lizes. It guides. It cheers. It was the first thing called 
into being. Without it the world would be a gloomy 
blank. Are we true Christians ? Then behold again our 
position and its responsibilities ! 

Surely, if words mean anything, we are meant to learn 
from these two figures, that there must be something 
marked, distinct, and peculiar about our character, if we 
are true Christians. It will never do to idle through life, 
thinking and living like others, if we mean to be owned 
by Christ as His people. Have Ave grace ? Then it must 
be seen. Have we the Spirit ? Then there must be 
fruit. Have we any saving religion ? Then there must 
be a difference of habits, tastes, and turn of mind, 
between us and those who think onlv of the world. It 



MATTHEW, CHAP. V. 37 

is perfectly clear that true Christianity is something more 
than being baptized and going to church, " Salt" and 
"light "evidently imply peculiarity both of heart and life, 
of faith and practice. We must dare to be singular and 
unlike the world, if we mean to be saved. 

The relation between our Lord's teaching and that of 
the Old Testament, is cleared up by our Lord in one 
striking sentence. He says, " Think not that I am come 
to destroy the law, or the prophets : I am not come to 
destroy, but to fulfil." These are remarkable words. 
They were deeply important when spoken, as satisfying 
the natural anxiety of the Jews on the point. They will 
be deeply important as long as the world stands, as a 
testimony that the religion of the Old and New Testament 
is one harmonious whole. 

The Lord Jesus came to fulfil the predictions of the 
prophets, who had long foretold that a Saviour would one 
day appear. He came to fulfil the ceremonial lata, by 
becoming the great sacrifice for sin, to which all the 
Mosaic offerings had ever pointed. He came to fulfil the 
moral law, by yielding to it a perfect obedience, which 
we could never have yielded — and by paying the penalty 
for our breach of it with His atoning blood, which we 
could never have paid. In all these ways He exalted the 
law of G-od, and made its importance more evident even 
than it had been before. In a word, " He magnified the 
law and made it honorable." (Isaiah xlii. 21.) 

There are deep lessons of wisdom to be learned from 
these words of our Lord. Let us consider them well, 
and lay them up in our hearts. 

Let us beware of despising the Old Testament under 



38 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

any pretence whatever. Let us never listen to those who 
bid us throw it aside as an obsolete, antiquated, useless 
book. The religion of the Old Testament is the germ of 
Christianity. The Old Testament is the Gospel in the 
bud. The New Testament is the Gospel in full flower. — 
The Old Testament is the Gospel in the blade. The New 
Testament is the Gospel in full ear.- — The saints in the 
Old Testament saw many things through a glass darkly. 
But they all looked by faith to the same Saviour, and 
were led by the same Spirit as ourselves. These are no 
light matters. Much infidelity begins with an ignorant 
contempt of the Old Testament. 

Let us, for another thing, beware of despising the law 
of the Ten Commandments. Let us not suppose for a 
moment that it is set aside by the Gospel, or that 
Christians have nothing to do with it. The coming of 
Christ did not alter the position of the Ten Command- 
ments one hair's breadth. If anything, it exalted and 
raised their authority. (Rom. iii. 31.) The law of the Ten 
Commandments is God's eternal measure of right and 
wrong. By it is the knowledge of sin. By it the Spirit 
shows men their need of Christ, and drives them to Him. 
To it Christ refers His people as their rule and guide 
for holy living. In its right place it is just as important 
as " the glorious Gospel." — It cannot save us. We can- 
not be justified by it. But never, never let us despise it. 
It is a symptom of an ignorant and unhealthy state of 
religion, when the law is lightly esteemed. The true 
Christian "delights in the law of God/'' (Rom. vii. 22.) 

In the last place, let us beware of supposing that the 
Gospel has lowered the standard of personal holiness, and 



MATTHEW. CHAP. V. 



39 



that the Christian is not intended to be as strict and 
particular about his daily life as the Jew. This is an 
immense mistake, but one that is unhappily very common. 
So far from this being the case, the sanctification of the 
New Testament saint ought to exceed that of him who 
has nothing but the Old Testament for his guide. The 
more light we have, the more we ought to love God. 
The more clearly we see our own complete and full 
forgiveness in Christ, the more heartily ought we to work 
for His glory. We know what it cost to redeem us far 
better than the Old Testament saints did. We have 
read what happened in Gethseniane and on Calvary, and 
they only saw it dimly and indistinctly as a thing yet to 
come. May we never forget our obligations ! The 
Christian who is content with a low standard of personal 
holiness has got much to learn. 



MATTHEW V. 21—37. 



21 Ye have heard that it was said 
by thern of old time, Thou shalt not 
kill : and whosoever shall kill shall 
be in danger of the judgment : 

22 But I say unto you, That whoso- 
ever is angry with his brother with- 
out a cause shall be in danger of the 
judgment: and whosoever shall say 
to his brother, Kaca, shall be in dan- 
ger of the council : but whosoever 
shall say, Thou fool, shall be in dan- 
ger of hell fire. 

23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift 
to the altar, and there remernberest 
that thy brother hath ought against 
thee ; 

24 Leave there thy gift before the 
altar, and go thy way ; first be recon- 
ciled to thy brother, and then come 
and offer thy gift. 

25 Agree with thine adversary 
quickly, whiles thou art in the way 
with him ; lest at anv time the adver- 



sary ^ deliver thee to the judge, and 
the judge deliver thee to the officer, 
and thou be cast into prison. 

26 Verily I say unto thee, Thou 
shalt by no means come out thence, 
till thou hast paid the uttermost 
farthing. 

27 Ye have heard that it was said 
by them of old time, Thou shalt not 
commit adultery : 

28 But I say unto you, That who- 
soever looketh on a woman to lust 
after her, hath committed adultery 
with her already in his heart. 

29 And if thy right eye offend thee, 
pluck it out, and cast it from thee : 
for it is profitable for thee that one of 
thy members should perish, and not 
that thy whole body should be cast 
into hell. 

30 And if thy right hand offend 
thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee : 
for it is profitable for thee that one of 



40 



EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 



thy members should perish, and not 
that thy whole body should be cast 
into hell. 

31 It hath been said, Whosoever 
shall pat away his wife, let him give 
her a writing of divorcement : 

32 Bat I say unto you, That whoso- 
ever shall put away his wife, saving 
for the cause- of fornication, causeth 
her to commit adultery : and whoso- 
ever shall marry her that is divorced 
committeth adultery. 

33 Again, ye have heard that it hath 
been said by them of old time, Thou 



shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt 
perform unto the Lord thine oaths ; 

3-4 But I say unto yon, Swear not 
at all ; neither by heaven ; for it is 
God's throne : 

35 Nor by the earth ; for it is his 
footstool : neither by Jerusalem; for 
it is the city of the great King. 

36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy 
head, because thou canst not make 
one hair white or black. 

37 But let your communication be, 
Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever 
is more than these cometh of evil. 



These verses deserve the closest attention of all readers 
of the Bible. A right understanding of the doctrines 
they contain lies at the very root of Christianity. The 
Lord Jesus here explains more fully the meaning of His 
words, " I came not to destroy the law, but to fulfil." 
He teaches us that His Gospel magnifies the law, and 
exalts its authority. He shows us that the law, as 
expounded by Him, was a far more spiritual and heart- 
searching rule than most of the Jews supposed. And 
He proves this by selecting three commandments out of 
the ten as examples of what He means. 

He expounds the sixth commandment. Many thought 
that they kept this part of God's law, so long as they did 
not commit actual murder. The Lord Jesus shows, that 
its requirements go much further than this. It con- 
demns all angry and passionate language, and especially 
when used without a cause. Let us mark this well. 
We may be perfectly innocent of taking life away, and 
yet be guilty of breaking the sixth commandment. 

He expounds the seventh commandment. Many sup- 
posed that they kept this part of God's law, if they did 
not actually commit adultery. The Lord Jesus teaches, 
that we may break it in our thoughts, hearts, and imagi- 



MATTHEW, CHAP. V. 41 

nations, even when our outward conduct is moral and 
correct. The God with whom we have to do looks far 
beyond actions. With him even a glance of the eye 
may be a sin. 

He expounds the third commandment. Many fancied 
that they kept this part of God's law, so long as they did 
not swear falsely, and performed their oaths. The Lord 
Jesus forbids all vain and light swearing altogether. All 
swearing by created things, even when God's name is not 
brought forward ; — all calling upon God to witness, ex- 
cepting on the most solemn occasions, is a great sin. 

Now all this is very instructive. It ought to raise very 
serious reflections in our minds. It calls us loudly to 
use great searching of heart. And what does it teach ? 

It teaches us the exceeding holiness of God. He is a 
most pure and perfect Being, who sees faults and imper- 
fections, where man's eyes often see none. He reads our 
inward motives. He notes our words and thoughts, as 
well as our actions. " lie requireth truth in the inward 
parts." Oh ! that men would consider this part of 
God's character more than they do ! There would be no 
room for pride, and self-righteousness, and carelessness, 
if they only saw God " as He is." 

It teaches us the exceeding ignorance of man in 
spiritual things. There are thousands and ten thousands 
of professing Christians, it may be feared, who know no 
more of the requirements of God's law than the most 
ignorant Jews. They know the letter of the ten com- 
mandments well enough. They fancy, like the young 
ruler, " all these have I kept from my youth up." They 
never dream that it is possible to break the sixth and 



42 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

seventh commandments, if they do not break them by 
outward act or deed. And so they live on satisfied with 
themselves, and quite content with their little bit of 
religion. Happy indeed are they who really understand 
God's law ! 

It teaches us our exceeding need of the Lord Jesus 
Christ's atoning blood to save us. What man or woman 
upon earth can ever stand before such a God as this, and 
plead " not guilty ?" Who is there that has ever grown 
to years of discretion, and not broken the commandments 
thousands of times ? " There is none righteous, no ! not 
one." Without a mighty Mediator we should every one 
be condemned in the judgment. Ignorance of the real 
meaning of the law is one plain reason why so many do 
not value the Gospel, and content themselves with a 
little formal Christianity. They do not see the strict- 
ness and holiness of God's Ten commandments. If they 
did, they would never rest till they were safe in Christ. 

In the last place, this passage teaches us the exceed- 
ing importance of avoiding all occasions of sin. If we 
really desire to be holy, we must " take heed to our ways, 
that we offend not in our tongues." — We must be ready to 
make up quarrels and disagreements, lest they gradually 
lead on to greater evils. " The beginning of strife is like 
the letting out of water." — We must labor to crucify our 
flesh and mortify our members, to make any sacrifice and 
endure any bodily inconvenience rather than sin. — We 
must keep our lips as it were with a bridle, and exercise 
an hourly strictness over our words. — Let men call us 
precise, if they will, for so doing. Let them say, if they 
please, that we are " too particular." We need not be 



MATTHEW, CHAP. V. 



43 



moved. We are merely doing as our Lord Jesus Christ 
bids us ; and, if this is the case, we have no cause to be 
ashamed. 



MATTHEW V. 38—48. 



38 Ye have heard that it hath heen 
said, An eye tor an eye, and a tooth 
for a tooth : 

39 But I say unto you, That ye re- 
sist not evil : hut whosoever shall 
smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to 
him the other also. 

40 And if any man will sue thee at 
the law, aud take away thy coat, let 
him have thy cloak also. 

41 And whosoever shall compel 
thee to go a mile, go with him twain. 

42 Give to him that asketh thee, 
and from him that would borrow of 
thee turn not thou away. 

43 Ye have heard that it hath heen 
said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, 
and hate thine enemy. 

44 But I say unto you, Love your 



enemies, bless them that curse you, 
do good to them that hate you, and 
pray for them which despitefully use 
you, and persecute you ; 

45 That ye may be the children of 
your Father which is in heaven : for 
he maketk his sun to rise on the evil 
and on the good, and sendeth rain on 
the just and on the unjust. 

46 For if ye love them which love 
you, what reward have ye? do not 
even the publicans the same ? 

47 And if ye salute your brethren 
only, what do ye more than others ? do 
not even the publicans so? 

48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as 
your Father which is in heaven is 
perfect. 



You have here our Lord Jesus Christ's rules for our con- 
duct one towards another. He that would know how He 
ought to feel and act towards his fellow men, should 
often study these verses. They deserve to be written in 
letters of gold. They have extorted praise even from the 
enemies of Christianity. Let us mark well what they 
contain. 

The Lord Jesus forbids everything like an unforgiving 
and revengeful spirit. A readiness to resent injuries, — 
a quickness in taking offence, — a quarrelsome and con- 
tentious disposition, — a keenness in asserting our rights, 
— all, all are contrary to the mind of Christ. The 
world may see no harm in these habits of mind. But 
they do not become the character of the Christian. 
Our Master says, " Resist not evil." 



44 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

The Lord Jesus enjoins on us a spirit of universal love 
and charity. We ought to put away all malice. We 
ought to return good for evil, and blessing for cursing. 
We ought to "love even our enemies." — Moreover we are 
not to love in word only, but in deed. We are to deny 
ourselves, and take trouble, in order to be kind and 
courteous. If any man " compel thee to go a mile, go 
with him twain." We are to put up with much and bear 
much, rather than hurt another, or give offence. In all 
things we are to be unselfish. Our thought must never 
be, " how do others behave to me ?" but " what would 
Christ have me to do ?" 

A standard of conduct like this may seem, at first sight, 
extravagantly high. But we must never content our- 
selves with aiming at one lower. We must observe the 
two weighty arguments by w T hich our Lord backs up this 
part of His instruction. They deserve serious attention. 

For one thing, if we do not aim at the spirit and tem- 
per which are here recommended, ioe are not yet children 
of God. Our " Father in heaven" is kind to all. He 
sends rain on good and on evil alike. He causes " His 
sun" to shine on all without distinction. — A son should 
be like his father. But where is our likeness to our 
Father in heaven, if we cannot show mercy and kind- 
ness to everybody ? Where is the evidence that we are 
new creatures, if we lack charity ? It is altogether 
wanting. We must yet be " born again." (John iii. 7.) 

For another thing, if we do not aim at the spirit and 
temper here recommended, we are manifestly yet of the 
world. Even those who have no religion can " love those 
who love them." They can do good and show kindness, 



MATTHEW, CHAP. V. 45 

when their affection or interest moves them. But a 
Christian ought to he influenced by higher principles than 
these. — Do we flinch from the test ? Do w r e find it im- 
possible to do good to our enemies ? If that be the case, 
we may be sure we have yet to be converted. As yet we 
have not " received the Spirit of God/' (1 Cor. ii. 12.) 

There is much in all this which calls loudly for solemn 
reflection. Ther are few passages of Scripture so calcu- 
lated to raise in our minds humbling thoughts. We have 
here a lovely picture of the Christian as he ought to be. 
We cannot look at it without painful feelings. We must 
all allow that it diners widely from the Christian as he is. 
Let us c&rry away from it two general lessons. 

In the first place, if the spirit of these ten verses 
were more continually remembered hy true believers, tliey 
would recommend Christianity to the world far more than 
they do. We must not allow ourselves to suppose that 
the least words in this passage are trifling and of small 
moment. They are not so. It is attention to the spirit 
of this passage which makes our religion beautiful. It 
is the neglect of the things which it contains by which our 
religion is deformed. Unfailing courtesy, kindness, tender- 
ness, and consideration for others, are some of the greatest 
ornaments to the character of the child of Grod. The w r orld 
can understand these things, if it cannot understand 
doctrine. There is no religion in rudeness, roughness, 
bluntness, and incivility. The perfection of practical 
Christianity consists in attending to the little duties of 
holiness as well as to the great. 

In the second place, if the spirit of these ten verses 
had more dominion and power in the world, how much 



46 



EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 



happier the world would he than it is. Who does not 
know that quarrel lings, strifes, selfishness, and unkind- 
ness cause half the miseries by which mankind is visited ? 
Who can fail to see that nothing would so much tend to 
increase happiness as the spread of Christian love, such as 
is here recommended by our Lord ? Let us all remember 
this. Those who fancy that true religion has any ten- 
dency to make men unhappy, are greatly mistaken. It is 
the absence of it that does this, and not the presence. 
True religion has the directly contrary effect. It tends 
to promote peace, and charity, and kindness, and good- 
will among men. The more men are brought under the 
teaching of the Holy Spirit, the more they will love one 
another, and the more happy they will be. 



MATTHEW VI. 1—8. 



1 Take heed that ye do not your 
alms before men to be seen of them ; 
otherwise ye have no reward of your 
Father which is in heaven. 

2 Therefore when thou doest thine 
alms, do not sound a trumpet before. 
thee, as the hypocrites do in the 
synagogues and in the streets, that 
they may have glory of men. Verily 
I say unto you, They have then- 
reward. 

3 But when thou doest alms, let 
not thy left hand know what thy 
right hand doeth ; 

4 That thine alms may be in secret : 
and thy Father which seeth in secret 
himself shall reward thee openly. 

5 And when thou prayest, thou 
shalt not be as the hypocrites are : for 



they love to pray standing in the 
synagogues and in the corners of the 
streets, that they may be seen of men. 
Veriiy I say unto you, They have 
their reward. 

6 But thou, when thou prayest, 
enter into thy closet, and when thou 
hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father 
which is in secret; and thy Father 
which seeth in secret shall reward 
thee openly. 

1 But when ye pray, use not vain 
repetitions, as the heathen do : for 
they think that they shall be heard 
for "their much speaking. 

8 Be not ye therefore like unto 
them : for your Father knoweth what 
things ye have need of, before ye 
ask him. 



In this part of the sermon on the mount the Lord Jesus 
gives us instruction on two subjects. One is that of 
giving alms. The other is that of prayer. Both were 
subjects to which the Jews attached great importance. 



MATTHEW, CHAP. VI. 47 

Both in themselves deserve the serious attention of all 
professing Christians. 

Observe that our Lord takes it for granted, that all ivlio 
call themselves His disciples will give alms. He assumes 
as a matter of course, that they will think it a solemn 
duty to give, according to their means, to relieve the 
wants of others. The only point He handles is the man- 
ner in which the duty should be done. This is a weighty 
lesson. It condemns the selfish stinginess of many in 
the matter of giving money. How many are " rich towards 
themselves/' but poor towards Grod ! How many never 
give a farthing to do good to the bodies and souls of men ! 
And have such persons any right to be called Christians, 
in their present state of mind ? It may be well doubted. 
A giving Saviour should have giving disciples. 

Observe again that our Lord takes it for granted, that 
all tvho call themselves His disciples ivill pray. He 
assumes this also as a matter of course. He only gives 
directions as to the best way of praying. This is another 
lesson which deserves to be continually remembered. It 
teaches plainly that prayerless people are not genuine 
Christians. It is not enough to join in the prayers of 
the congregation on Sundays, or attend the prayer of a 
family on week-days. There must be private prayer also. 
Without this we may be outward members of Christ's 
church, but we are not living members of Christ. 

But what are the rules laid down for our guidance 
about almsgiving and praying ? They are few and 
simple. But they contain much matter for thought. 

In giving, everything like ostentation is to be abhorred 
and avoided. We are not to give as if we wished every- 



48 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

body to see how liberal and charitable we are, and 
desired the praise of our fellow men. We are to shun 
everything like display. We are to give quietly, and 
make as little noise as possible about, our charities. We 
are to aim at the spirit of the proverbial saying, "Let 
not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth." 

In praying, the principal object to be sought, is to be 
alone with God. We should endeavor to find some 
place where no mortal eye sees us, and where we can 
pour out our hearts with the feeling that no one is look- 
ing at us but Grod. — This is a rule which many find it 
very difficult to follow. The poor man and the servant 
often find it almost impossible to be really alone. But 
it is a rule which we must all make great efforts to obey. 
Necessity, in such cases, is often the mother of inven- 
tion. When a person has a real will to find some place, 
where he can be in secret with his Grod, he will generally 
find a way. 

In all our duties, whether giving, or praying, the great 
thing to be kept in mind is, that we have to do with 
a heart-searching and all-knowing God. Everything 
like formality, affectation, or mere bodily service, is 
abominable and worthless in God's sight. He takes no 
account of the quantity of money we give, or the 
quantity of words we use. The one thing at which His 
all- seeing eye looks is the nature of our motives, and the 
state of our hearts. " Our Father seeth in secret." 

May we all remember these things. Here lies a rock, 
on which many are continually making spiritual ship- 
wreck. They flatter themselves that all must be right 
with their souls, if they only perforin a certain amount 



49 

of "religious duties." They forget that God does not 
regard the quantity, but the quality of our service. 
His favor is not to be bought, as many seem to suppose, 
by the formal repetition of a number of words, or the 
self-righteous payment of a sum of money to a charitable 
institution. Where are our hearts ? Are we doing all, 
whether we give or pray, " as to the Lord, and not to 
men ?" Do we realize the eye of Grod ? Do we simply 
and solely desire to please Him, who " seeth in secret," 
and by whom " actions are weighed ?" (1 Sam. ii. 3.) 
Are we sincere ? These are the sort of questions, with 
which we should daily ply our souls. 



MATTHEW VI. 9-15. 



9 After this manner therefore pray 
ye : Our Father which art in heaven, 
Hallowed be thy name. 

10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will 
be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 

11 Give us this day our daily bread. 

12 And forgive us our debt?, as we 
forgive our debtors. 

13 And lead us not into temptation, 



but deliver us from evil ; For thine is 
the kingdom, and the power, and the 
glory, for ever. Amen. 

14 For if ye forgive men their 
trespasses, your heavenly Father will 
also forgive you : 

15 But if ye forgive not men their 
trespasses, neither will your Father 
forgive your trespasses. 



These verses are few in number, and soon read, but they 
are of immense importance. They contain that wonder- 
ful pattern of prayer with which the Lord Jesus has 
supplied His people, commonly called "the Lord's 
Prayer." 

Perhaps no part of Scripture is so well known as this. 
Its words are familiar, wherever Christianity is found. 
Thousands, and lens of thousands, who never saw a 
Bible, or heard the pure Gospel, aie acquainted with 
" Our Father/ 7 and " Paternoster." Happy would it be 

3 



50 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

for the world, if this prayer was as well known in the 
spirit, as it is in the letter ! 

Perhaps no part of Scripture is so full, and so simple 
at the same time, as this. It is the first prayer which 
we learn to offer up, when we are little children. Here 
is its simplicity. — It contains the germ of everything 
which the most advanced saint can desire. Here is its 
fulness. — The more we ponder every word it contains, 
the more we shall feel, " this prayer is of God." 

The Lord's prayer consists of ten parts or sentences. 
There is one declaration of the Being to whom we pray. 
— There are three prayers respecting His name, His 
kingdom, and His will. — There are four prayers respect- 
ing our daily wants, our sins, our weakness, and our 
dangers. — There is one profession of our feeling towards 
others. — There is one concluding ascription of praise. — 
In all these parts we are taught to say " we," and " our." 
We are to remember others, as well as ourselves. — On 
each of these parts a volume might be written. We 
must content ourselves at present with taking up sentence 
by sentence, and marking out the direction in which each 
sedtence points. 

The first sentence declares to whom we are to pray : 
u Our Father which art in heaven." We are not to cry 
to saints and angels, but to the everlasting Father, the 
Father of spirits, the Lord of heaven and earth. We call 
Him Father, in the lowest sense, as our Creator ; as St. 
Paul told the Athenians, " in him we live, and move, and 
have our being — we are also his offspring." (Acts xvii. 
28.) We call Him Father in the highest sense, as the 
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, reconciling us to Him- 



51 

self, through the death of His Son. (Col. i. 20-22.) We 
profess that which the Old Testament saints only saw 
dimly, if at all, — we profess to be His children by faith 
in Christ, and to have " the Spirit of adoption whereby 
we cry, Abba, Father." (Rom. viii. 15.) This, we must 
never forget, is the sonship that we must desire, if we 
would be saved. Without faith in Christ's blood, and 
union with Him, it is vain to talk of trusting in the 
Fatherhood of God. 

The second sentence is a petitionrespecting God'sname: 
" Hallowed be thy name." By the " name" of God we 
mean all those attributes under which He is revealed to 
us, — His power, wisdom, holiness, justice, mercy, and 
truth. By asking that they may be " hallowed," we 
mean that they may be made known and glorified. The 
glory of God is the first thing that God's children should 
desire. It is the object of one of our Lord's own 
prayers : " Father, glorify thy name." (John xii. 28.) 
It is the purpose for which the world was created. 
It is the end for which the saints are called and con- 
verted. It is the chief thing we should seek, that 
" God in all things may be glorified." (1 Peter iv. 11.) 

The third sentence is a petition concerning God's king- 
dom : " thy kingdom come." By His kingdom we mean 
first, the kingdom of grace which God sets up and main- 
tains in the hearts of all living members of Christ, by 
His Spirit and word. But we mean chiefly, the kingdom 
of glory which shall one day be set up, when Jesus shall 
come the second time, and " all men shall know Him 
from the least to the greatest." This is the time when 
sin, and sorrow, and Satan shall be cast out of the 



52 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

world. It is the time when the Jews shall be converted, 
and the fulness of the Gentiles shall come in, (Kom. xi. 
25,) and a time that is above all things to be desired. 
It therefore fills a foremost place in the Lord's prayer. 
We ask that which is expressed in the words of the 
Burial service, " that it may please thee to hasten thy 
kingdom." 

The fourth sentence is a petition concerning God's 
will: "thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven." 
We here pray that God's laws may be obeyed by men as 
perfectly, readily, and unceasingly, as they are by angels 
in heaven. We ask that those who now obey not His 
laws, may be taught to obey them, and that those who 
do obey them, may obey them better. Our truest hap- 
piness is perfect submission to God's will, and it is the 
highest charity to pray that all mankind may know it, 
obey it, and submit to it. 

The fifth sentence is a petition respecting our own daily 
wants: " give us this day our daily bread." We are 
here taught to acknowledge our entire dependence on 
God, for the supply of our daily necessities. As Israel 
required daily manna, so we require daily " bread." We 
confess that we are poor, weak, wanting creatures, and 
beseech Him who is our Maker to take care of us. We 
ask for " bread," as the simplest of our wants, and in 
that word we include all that our bodies require. 

The sixth sentence is a petition respecting our sins : 
" Forgive us our debts." We confess that we are sin- 
ners, and need daily grants of pardon and forgiveness. 
This is a part of the Lord's prayer which deserves 
especially to be remembered. It condemns all self- 



53 

righteousness and self-justifying. We are instructed 
here to keep up a continual habit of confession at the 
throne of grace, and a continual habit of seeking mercy 
and remission. Let this never be forgotten. We need 
daily to " wash our feet." (John xiii. 10.) 

The seventh sentence is a profession respecting our 
own feelings towards others : we ask our Father to 
" forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." This 
is the only profession in the whole prayer, and the only 
part on which our Lord comments and dwells, when He 
has concluded the prayer. The plain object of it is, to 
remind us that we must not expect our prayers for for- 
giveness to be heard, if we pray with malice and spite in 
our hearts towards others. To pray in such a frame of 
mind is mere formality and hypocrisy. It is even worse 
than hypocrisy. It is as much as saying, " Do not 
forgive me at all." Our prayer is nothing without 
charity. We must not expect to be forgiven, if we 
cannot forgive. 

The eighth sentence is a petition respecting our weak- 
ness : " lead us not into temptation." It teaches us that 
we are liable, at all times, to be led astray, and fall. 
It instructs us to confess our infirmity, and beseech God 
to hold us up, and not allow us to run into sin. We 
ask Him, who orders all things in heaven and earth, to 
restrain us from going into that which would injure our 
souls, and never to suffer us to be tempted above that 
which we are able to bear. (1 Cor. x. 13.) 

The ninth sentence is a petition respecting our dan- 
gers : " deliver us from evil." We are here taught to 
ask God to deliver us from the evil that is in the world, 



54 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

the evil that is within our own hearts, and not least from 
that evil one, the devil. We confess that, so long as we 
are in the body, we are constantly seeing, hearing, and 
feeling the presence of evil. It is about us, and within 
us, and around us on every side. And we entreat Him, 
who alone can preserve us, to be continually delivering 
us from its power. (John xvii. 15.) 

The last sentence is an ascription of praise : " thine 
is the kingdom, the power, and the glory." We declare 
in these words our belief, that the kingdoms of this world 
are the rightful property of our Father, — that to Him 
alone belongs all " power," — and that He alone deserves 
to receive all " glory." And we conclude by offering to 
Him the profession of our hearts, that we give Him all 
honor and praise, and rejoice that He is King of kings, 
and Lord of lords. 

And now let us all examine ourselves, and see whether 
we really desire to have the things which we are taught 
to ask for in the Lord's Prayer. Thousands, it may be 
feared, repeat these words daily as a form, but never 
consider what they are saying. They care nothing for 
the "glory," the "kingdom," or the "will" of God. 
They have no sense of dependence, sinfulness, weakness, 
or danger. They have no love or charity towards their 
enemies. And yet they repeat the Lord's Prayer ! 
These things ought not to be so. May we resolve that, 
by God's help, our hearts shall go together with our lips ! 
Happy is he who can really call God his Father through 
Jesus Christ his Saviour, and can therefore say a heart- 
felt " Amen" to all that the Lord's Prayer contains. 



MATTHEW, CHAP. VI. 



55 



MATTHEW VI. 16-24. 



16 Moreover when ye fast, "be not, 
as the hypocrites, of a sad counte- 
nance : for they disfigure their faces, 
tbat they may appear unto men to 
fast. Verily I say unto you, They 
have their reward. 

17 But thou, when thou fastest, 
anoint thine head, and wash thy face ; 

18 That thou appear not unto men 
to fast, but unto thy Father which is 
in secret : and thy Father, which seeth 
in secret, shall reward thee openly. 

19 Lay not up for yourselves trea- 
sures upon earth, where moth and 
rust doth corrupt, and where thieves 
break through and steal : 

20 But lay up for yourselves trea- 
sures in heaven, where neither moth 



nor rust doth corrupt, and where 
thieves do not break through nor 
steal : 

21 For where your treasure is, 
there will your heart be also. 

22 The light of the body is the 
eye: if therefore thine eye be single, 
thy whole body shall be full of light. 

23 But if thine eye be evil, thy 
whole body shall be full of darkness. 
If therefore the light that is in thee 
be darkness, how great is that dark- 
ness ! 

24 No man can serve two masters ; 
for either he will hate the one, and 
love the other, or else he will hold to 
the one, and despise the other. Ye 
cannot serve God and mammon. 



Theke are three subjects brought before us in this part 
of our Lord's sermon on the mount. These three are 
fasting, worldliness, and singleness of purpose in religion. 
Fasting, or occasional abstinence from food, in order to 
bring the body into subjection to the spirit, is a practice 
frequently mentioned in the Bible, and generally in con- 
nection with prayer. David fasted, when his child was 
sick. Daniel fasted, when he sought special light from 
God. Paul and Barnabas fasted, when they appointed 
elders. Esther fasted, before going in to Ahasuerus. — It 
is a subject about which we find no direct command in 
the New Testament. It seems to be left to every one's 
discretion, whether he will fast or not. — There is great 
wisdom in this. Many a poor man never has enough to 
eat, and it would be an insult to tell him to fast. Many 
a sickly person can hardly be kept well with the closest 
attention to diet, and could not fast without bringing on 
illness. — It is a matter in which every one must be per- 
suaded in his own inind ; and not be hasty to condemn 



56 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

otliers ; who do not agree with him. — One thing only must 
never be forgotten. Those who fast should do it quietly, 
secretly, and without ostentation. Let them not " appear 
to men" to fast. Let them not fast to man, but to G-ocl. 

Worldliness is one of the greatest dangers that beset 
man's soul. It is no wonder that we find our Lord 
speaking strongly about it. It is an insidious, specious, 
plausible enemy. It seems so innocent to pay close 
attention to our business ! It seems so harmless to seek 
our happiness in this world, so long as we keep clear of 
open sins ! Yet here is a rock on which many make 
shipwreck to all eternity. They " lay up treasure on 
earth," and forget to " lay up treasure in heaven." May 
we all remember this ! Where are our hearts ? What 
do we love best ? Are our chiefest affections on things 
in earth, or things in heaven ? Life or death depends 
on the answer we can give to these questions. If our 
treasure is earthly, our hearts will be earthly also. 
" Where your treasure is, there will your heart be." 

Singleness of purpose is one great secret of spiritual 
prosperity. If our eyes do not see distinctly, we cannot 
walk without stumbling and falling. If we attempt to 
work for two different masters, we are sure to give satis- 
faction to neither. It is just the same with respect to 
our souls. We cannot serve Christ and the world at the 
same time. It is vain to attempt it. The thing cannot 
be done. The ark and Dagon will never stand together. 
God must be king over our hearts. His law, His will, 
His precepts must receive our first attention. Then, 
and not till then, everything in our inward man will fall 
into its right place. Unless our hearts are so ordered, 



57 

everything will be in confusion. " Thy whole body shall 
be full of darkness/' 

Let us learn from our Lord's instruction about fasting, 
the great importance of cheerfulness in our religion. Those 
words, " anoint thy head, and wash thy face/' are full 
of deep meaning. They should teach us to aim at letting 
men see, that we find Christianity makes us happy. Never 
let us forget that there is no religion in looking melan- 
choly and gloomy. Are we dissatisfied with Christ's 
wages, and Christ's service ? Surely not ! Then let 
us not look as if we were. 

Let us learn from our Lord's caution about worldiiness 
what immense need we all have to watch and pray against 
an earthly spirit. What are the vast majority of profess- 
ing Christians round us doing ? They are " laying up 
treasure on earth." There can be no mistake about it. 
Their tastes, their ways, their habits tell a fearful tale. 
They are not " laying up treasure in heaven." Oh ! let 
us all beware that we do not sink into hell by paying 
excessive attention to lawful things. Open transgression 
of God's law slays its thousands, but worldiiness its tens 
of thousands. 

Let us learn from our Lord's words about the " single 
eye," the trice secret of the failures, which so many Chris- 
tians seem to make in their religion. There are failures 
in all quarters. There are thousands in our churches 
uncomfortable, ill at ease, and dissatisfied with themselves, 
and they hardly know why. The reason is revealed here. 
They are trying to keep in with both sides. They are 
endeavoring to please God and please man, to serve 
Christ and serve the world at the same time. Let us 

3* 



58 



EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 



not commit this mistake. Let us "he decided, thorough- 
going, uncompromising followers of Christ. Let our 
motto be that of Paul, " One thing I do." (Phil. iii. 13.) 
Then we shall he happy Christians. We shall feel the 
sun shining on our faces. Heart, head, and conscience 
will all be full of light. Decision is the secret of happi- 
ness in religion. Be decided for Christ, and " thy whole 
body shall be full of light." 



MATTHEW VI. 25—34. 



25 Therefore I say unto you, take 
no thought for your life, what ye shall 
eat, or what ye shall drink ; nor yet 
for your body, what ye shall put on. 
Is not the life more than meat, and 
the body than raiment? 

26 Behold the fowls of the air : for 
they sow not, neither do they reap, 
nor gather into barns ; yet your heav- 
enly Father feedeth them. Are ye not 
much better than they ? 

27 Which of you by taking thought 
can add oue cubit unto his stature? 

28 And why take ye thought for 
raiment? Consider the lilies of the 
field, how they grow; they toil not, 
neither do they spin : 

29 'And yet I say unto you, That 
even Solomon in all his glory was not 
arrayed like one of these. 

30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the 



grass of the field, which to day is, 
and to morrow is cast into the oven, 
shall he not much more clothe you, 
ye of little faith? 

31 Therefore take no thought, say- 
ing, What shall we eat? or, What 
shall we drink ? or, Wherewithal shall 
we be clothed ? 

32 (For after all these things do 
the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly 
Father knoweth that ye have need of 
all these things. 

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of 
God, and his righteousness ; and all 
these things shall be added unto you. 

34 Take therefore no thought for 
the morrow: for the morrow shall 
take thought for the thiugs of itself. 
Sufficient unto the day is the evil 
thereof. 



These verses are a s hiking example of the combined 
wisdom and compassion of our Lord Jesus Christ's teach- 
ing. He knows the heart of a man. He knows that 
we are all ready to turn off warnings against worldliness, 
by the argument that we cannot help being anxious 
about the things of this life. " Have we not our families 
to provide for ? Must not our bodily wants be supplied ? 
How can we possibly get through life, if we think first 



MATTHEW, CHAP. VI. 59 

of our souls ?" The Lord Jesus foresaw such thoughts, 
and famished an answer. 

He forbids us to keep up an anxious spirit about the 
things of this world. Four times over He says, " take 
no thought." About life, — about food, — about clothing, 
— about the morrow, " take no thought." Be not over- 
careful. Be not over-anxious. Prudent provision for 
the future is right. Wearing, corroding, self- tormenting 
anxiety is wrong. 

He reminds us of the providential care that God con- 
tinually takes of everything that He has created. Has He 
given us "life ?" Then He will suerly not let us want 
anything necessary for its maintenance. Has He given 
us a " body ?" Then He will surely not let us die for want 
of clothing. He that calls us into being, will doubtless 
find meat to feed us. 

He points out the uselessness of over -anxiety. Our life 
is entirely in God's hand. All the care in the world will 
not make us continue a minute beyond the time which 
God has appointed. We shall not die till our work is done. 

He sends us to the birds of the air for instruction. 
They make no provision for the future. " They sow not, 
neither do they reap." — They lay up no stores against 
time yet to come. They do not "gather into barns." 
They literally live from day to clay on what they can pick 
up, by using the instinct God has put in them. They 
ought to teach us that no man doing his duty in the 
station to which God has called him, shall ever be 
allowed to come to poverty. 

He bids us to observe the flowers of the field. Year after 
year they are decked with the gayest colors, without the 



60 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

slightest labor or exertion on their part. " They toil 
not, neither do they spin." God, by His almighty power, 
clothes them with beauty every season. The same God 
is the Father of all believers. Why should they doubt 
that He is able to provide them with raiment, as well 
as the lilies " of the field ?" He who takes thought for 
perishable flowers, will surely not neglect the bodies in 
which dwell immortal souls. 

He suggests to us, that over-carefulness about the 
things of this world is most unworthy of a Christian. 
One great feature of heathenism is living for the present. 
Let the heathen, if he will, be anxious. He knows 
nothing of a Father in heaven. But let the Christian, 
who has clearer light and knowledge, give proof of it 
by his faith and contentment. When bereaved of those 
whom we love, we are not to "sorrow as those who have 
no hope." When tried by anxieties about this life, we 
are not to be over-careful, as if we had no God, and no 
Christ, 

He offers us a gracious promise, as a remedy against an 
anxious spirit. He assures us that if we " seek first" and 
foremost to have a place in the kingdom of grace and 
glory, everything that we really want in this world shall 
be given to us. It shall be " added," over and above our 
heavenly inheritance. "All things shall work together for 
good to them that love God." " No good thing will He 
withhold from them that walk uprightly." (Rom. viii. 28. 
Psalm lxxxiv. 11.) 

Last of all, He seals up all His instruction on this 
subject, by laying down one of the wisest maxims. " The 
morrow shall take thought for the things of itself, 



MATTHEW, CHAP. VII. 



61 



Sufficient to the clay is the evil thereof/'' We are not to 
carry cares before they come. We are to attend to 
to-day's business, and leave to-morrow's anxieties till 
to-morrow dawns. We may die before to-morrow. We 
know not what may happen on the morrow. This only 
-we may be assured of, that if to-morrow brings a cross, 
He who sends it, can and will send grace to bear it. 

In all this passage there is a treasury of golden lessons. 
Let us seek to use them in our daily life. Let us not 
only read them, but turn them to practical account. Let 
us watch and pray against an anxious and over-careful 
spirit. It deeply concerns our happiness. Half our 
miseries are caused by fancying things that we think are 
coming upon us. Half the things that we expect to come 
upon us, never come at all. Where is our faith ? 
Where is our confidence in our Saviour's words ? We 
may well take shame to ourselves, when we read these 
verses, and then look into our hearts. But this we may 
be sure of, that David's words are true, " I have been 
young, and now am old, yet never saw I the righteous 
forsaken, nor his seed begging their bread." (Psalm 
xxxvii. 25.) 



MATTHEW VII. 1—11. 



1 Judge not, that ye be not judged. 

2 For with what Judgment ye 
judsre, yo shall he judged: and with 
what measure ye mete, it shall be 
measured to you again. 

8 And why beholdest thou the mote 
that is in thy brother's eye, but eon- 
siderest not the beam that is in thine 
own eye ? 

4 Or how wilt thou say to thy bro- 
ther, Let me pull out the mote out of 
thine eye ; and, behold, a beam is in 
thine own eve I 



5 Thou hypocrite, first east out the 
beam out of thine own eye ; and then 
shalt thou see clearly to cast out the 
mote out of thy brother's eye. 

6 Give not that which is "holy unto 
the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls 
before swine, lest they trample them 
under their feet, and 'turn again and 
rend you. 

7 Ask, and it shall be given you ; 
seek, and ye shall find ; knock, and it 
shall be opened unto you : 



62 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 



8 For every one that asketh receiv- 
eth; and he that seeketh findeth ; 
and to him that knocketh it shall be 
opened. 

9 Or what man is there, of you, 
whom if his son ask bread, will he 
give him a stone ? 



10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give 
him a serpent ? 

11 If ye then, being evil, know how 
to give good gifts unto your children, 
how much more shall your Father 
which is in heaven- give good things 
to them that ask him ? 



The first portion of these verses is one of those passages 
of Scripture, which we must be careful not to strain 
beyond its proper meaning. It is frequently abused and 
misapplied, by the enemies of true religion. It is possi- 
ble to press the words of the Bible so far that they yield 
not medicine, but poison. 

Our Lord does not mean that it is wrong, under any 
circumstances, to pass an unfavorable judgment on the 
conduct and opinions of others. We ought to have 
decided opinions. We are to " prove all things." We are 
to " try the spirits." — Nor yet does He mean that it is 
wrong to reprove the sins and faults of others, until we 
are perfect and faultless ourselves. Such an interpreta- 
tion would contradict other parts of Scripture. It would 
make it impossible to condemn error and false doctrine. 
It would debar any one from attempting the office of a 
minister or a judge. The earth would be " given into the 
hands of the wicked." (John ix. 24.) Heresy would 
flourish. Wrong-doing would abound. 

What our Lord means to condemn is a censorious and 
fault-finding spirit. A readiness to blame others for 
trifling offences, or matters of indifference — a habit of 
passing rash and hasty judgments — a disposition to 
magnify the errors and infirmities of our neighbors, 
and make the worst of them — this is what our Lord 
forbids. It was common among the Pharisees. It has 



MATTHEW^ CHAP, VIL 63 

always been common from their day clown to the present 
time. We must all watch against it. We should 
" believe all things," and " hope all things " about others, 
and be very slow to find fault. This is Christian charity. 
(1 Cor. xiii. 7.) 

The second lesson contained in this passage, is the im- 
portance of exercising discretion as to the person with 
whom ivc speak on the subject of religion. Everything is 
beautiful in its place and season. Our zeal is to be tem- 
pered by a prudent consideration of times, places, and per- 
sons. "Keprove not a scorner," says Solomon, "lest he 
hate thee/' (Prov. ix. 8.) It is not everybody to whom it 
is wise to open our minds on spiritual matters. There 
are many, who from violent tempers, or openly profligate 
habits, are utterly incapable of valuing the things of the 
Gospel. They will even fly into a passion, and run into 
greater excesses of sin, if you try to do good to their souls. 
To name the name of Christ to such people, is truly to 
" cast pearls before swine." It does them not good 
but harm. It rouses all their corruption, and makes 
them angry. In short, they are like the Jews at Corinth, 
(Acts xviii. 6,) or like Nabal, of whom it is written, that 
he was " such a son of Belial, that a man could not 
speak unto him." (1 Sam. xxv. 17.) 

This is a lesson which it is peculiarly difficult to use 
in the proper way. The right application of it needs 
great wisdom. We are most of us far more likely to err 
on the side of over-caution than of over-zeal. We are 
generally far more disposed to remember the " time to be 
silent," than " the time to speak." It is a lesson, however, 
which ought to stir up a spirit of self-inquiry in all our 



64 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

hearts. Do we ourselves never cheek our friends from 
giving us good advice, by our moroseness and irritability 
of temper ? Have we never obliged others to hold their 
peace and say nothing, by our pride and impatient con- 
tempt of counsel ? Have we never turned against our 
kind advisers, and silenced them by our violence and 
passion ? Alas ! we may well fear that we have erred in 
this matter. 

The last lesson contained in this passage is the duty of 
prayer, and the rich encouragements there are to pray. 

There is a beautiful connection between this lesson and 
that which goes before it. Would we know when to be 
" silent," and when to " speak/' — when to bring forward 
"holy" things, and produce our "pearls ?" We must 
pray. This is a subject to which, the Lord Jesus evidently 
attaches great importance. The language that He uses 
is a plain proof of this. He employs three different 
words to express the idea of prayer. " Ask." " Seek." 
" Knock." He holds out the broadest, fullest promise to 
those who pray. "Every one that asketh receiveth." 
He illustrates God's readiness to hear our prayers, by an 
argument drawn from the notorious practice of parents 
on earth. " Evil" and selfish as they are by nature, they 
do not neglect the wants of their children according to 
the flesh. Much more will a God of love and mercy 
attend to the cries of those who are His children by 
grace. 

Let us take special notice of these words of our Lord 
about prayer. Few of His sayings, perhaps, are so well 
known and so often repeated as this. The poorest and 
most unlearned can tell you, that "if we do not seek we 



65 

shall not find/' But what is the good of knowing it, if 
we do not use it ? Knowledge, not improved and well 
employed, will only increase our condemnation at the 
last day. 

Do we know anything of this asking, seeking, and 
knocking ? Why should we not ? There is nothing so 
simple and plain as praying, if a man really has a will to 
pray. There is nothing, unhappily, which men are so 
slow to do. They will use many of the forms of religion, 
attend many ordinances, do many things that are right, 
before they will do this. And yet without this no soul 
can be saved. 

Do we ever really pray ? If not, we shall at last be 
without excuse before God, except we repent. We shall 
not be condemned for not doing what we could not have 
done, or not knowing what we could not have known. 
But we shall find that one main reason why we are lost 
is this, that we never asked that we might be saved. 

Do we indeed pray ? Then let us pray on, and not 
faint. It is not lost labor. It is not useless. It will 
bear fruit after many clays. That word never yet failed, 
" Every one that asketh receiveth." 



MATTHEW VII. 12—20. 



12 Therefore all things whatsoever 
ye would that men should do to you, 
do ye even so to them : for this is the 
law and the prophets. 

13 Enter ye in at the strait gate : 
for wide is the gate, and broad is the 
way that leadeth to destruction, and 
many there be which go in thereat : 

14 Because strait is the gate, and 



narrow is the way, which leadeth unto 
life, and few there be that find 
it. 

15 Beware of false prophets, which 
come to you in sheep's clothing, but 
inwardly they are ravening wolves. 

16 Ye shall know them by their 
fruits. Do men gather grapes of 
thorns, or figs of thistles ? 



EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 



17 Even so every good tree bringeth 
forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree 
bringeth forth evil fruit. 

18 A good tree cannot bring forth 
evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree 
bring forth good fruit. 



19 Every tree that bringeth not 
forth good fruit is hewn down, and 
cast into the fire. 

20 Wherefore by their fruits ye 
shall know them. 



In this part of the sermon on the mount our Lord begins 
to draw His discourse to a conclusion. The lessons He 
here enforces on our notice, are broad, general, and full 
of the deepest wisdom. Let us mark them in succession. 

He lays down a general principle for our guidance in 
all doubtful questions between man and man. We are 
"to do to others as we would have others do to us." 
We are not to deal with others as others deal with us. 
This is mere selfishness and heathenism. We are to 
deal with others as we would like others to deal with us. 
This is real Christianity. 

This is a golden rule indeed ! It does not merely for- 
bid all petty malice and revenge, all cheating and over- 
reaching. It does much more. It settles a hundred 
difficult points, which in a world like this are continually 
arising between man and man. It prevents the neces- 
sity of laying down endless little rules for our conduct 
in specific cases. It sweeps the whole debateable ground 
with one mighty principle. It shows us a balance and 
measure, by which, every one may see at once what is his 
duty. — Is there a thing we would not like our neighbor 
to do to us ? Then let us always remember, that this is 
the thing we ought not to do to him. Is there a thing 
we would like him to do to us ? Then this is the very 
thing we ought to do to him. — How many intricate ques- 
tions would be decided at once, if this rule were honestly 
used ! 



67 

In the second place, our Lord gives us a general 
caution against the way of the many in religion. It is 
not enough to think as others think, and do as others 
do. It must not satisfy us to follow the fashion, and 
swim with the stream of those among whom we live. 
He tells us that the way that leads to everlasting life is 
" narrow/' and " few" travel in it. He tells us that the 
way that leads to everlasting destruction is " broad," and 
full of travellers. " Many there be that go in thereat." 

These are fearful truths ! They ought to raise 
great searchings of heart in the minds of all who hear 
them. — " Which way am I going ? By what road am 
I travelling ?" — In one or other of the two ways here 
described, every one of us may be found. May God 
give us an honest, self-inquiring spirit, and show us 
what we are ! 

We may well tremble and be afraid, if our religion is 
that of the multitude. If we can say no more than this, 
that " we go where others go, and worship where others 
worship, and hope we shall do as well as others at last," 
we are literally pronouncing our own condemnation. 
What is this but being in the " broad way ?" W T hat is 
this but being in the road whose end is " destruction ?" 
Our religion at present is not saving religion. 

We have no reason to be discouraged and cast down, 
if the religion we profess is not popular, and few agree 
with us. We must remember the words of our Lord 
Jesus Christ in this passage : " The gate is strait." 
Repentance, and faith in Christ, and holiness of life, 
have never been fashionable. The true flock of Christ 
has always been small. It must not move us to find that 



68 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

we are reckoned singular, and peculiar, and bigotted, 
and narrow-minded. This is Cl the narrow way." Surely 
it is better to enter into life eternal with a few, than to 
go to " destruction" with a great company. 

In the last place, the Lord Jesus gives us a general 
warning against false teachers in the church. We are to 
" beware of false prophets." The connection between 
this passage and the preceding one is striking. Would 
we keep clear of this " broad way ?" We must beware 
of false prophets. They will arise. They began in the 
days of the apostles. Even then the seeds of error were 
sown. They have appeared continually ever since. We 
must be prepared for them, and be on our guard. 

This is a warning which is much needed. There are 
thousands who seem ready to believe anything in religion, 
if they hear it from an ordained minister. They forget 
that clergymen may err as much as laymen. They are 
not infallible. Their teaching must be weighed in the 
balance of Holy Scripture. They are to be followed and 
believed, so long as their doctrine agrees with the Bible, 
but not a minute longer. — We are to try them " by their 
fruits." Sound doctrine and holy living are the marks 
of true prophets. — Let us remember this. Our minister's 
mistakes will not excuse our own. " If the blind lead 
the blind, both will fall into the ditch." 

What is the best safe-guard against false teaching ? 
Beyond all doubt the regular study of the word of God, 
with prayer for the teaching of the Holy Spirit. The 
Bible was given to be a lamp to our feet and a light to 
our path. (Psal. cxix. 105.) The man who reads it aright 
will never be allowed greatly to err. It is neglect of the 



MATTHEW, CHAP. VII. 



69 



Bible which makes so many a prey to the first false 
teacher whom they hear. They would fain have us be- 
lieve that " they are not learned, and do not pretend to 
have decided opinions." The plain truth is that they 
are lazy and idle about reading the Bible, and do not 
like the trouble of thinking for themselves. Nothing 
supplies false prophets with followers so much as 
spiritual sloth under a cloak of humility. 

May we all bear in mind our Lord's warning ! The 
world, the devil, and the flesh, are not the only dangers 
in the way of the Christian. There remains another 
yet, and that is the " false prophet/' the wolf in sheep's 
clothing. Happy is he who prays over his Bible and 
knows the difference between truth and error in religion ! 
There is a difference, and we are meant to know it, and 
use our knowledge. 



MATTHEW VII. 21—29. 



21 Not every one that saith unto 
me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the 
kingdom of heaven ; but he that doeth 
the will of my Father which is in 
heaven. 

22 Many will say to me in that day, 
Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied 
in thy name? and in thy name have 
cast out devils ? and in thy name done 
many wonderful works ? 

23 And then will I profess unto 
them, I never knew you : depart from 
me, ye that work iniquity. 

24 Therefore whosoever heareth 
these sayings of mine, and doeth 
them, I will liken him unto a wise 
man, which built his house upon a 
rock: 



25 And the rain descended, and the 
floods came, and the winds blew, and 
beat upon that house ; and it fell not : 
for it was founded upon a rock. 

26 And every one that heareth 
these sayings of mine, and doeth 
them not, shall be likened unto a 
foolish man, which built his house 
upon the sand : 

27 And the rain descended, and the 
floods came, and the winds blew, and 
beat upon that house • and it fell : and 
great was the fall of it. 

28 And it came to pass, when Jesus 
had ended these sayings, the people 
were astonished at his doctrine : 

29 For he taught them as one hav- 
ing authority, and not as the Scribes. 



The Lord Jesus winds up the sermon on the mount by 
a passage of heart-piercing application. He turns from 



70 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

false prophets to false professors, from unsound teachers 
to unsound hearers. Here is a word for all. May we 
have grace to apply it to our own hearts ! 

The first lesson here is the uselessness of a mere outward 
profession of Christianity. Not every one that saith 
"Lord, Lord," shall enter the kingdom of heaven. Not all 
that profess and call themselves Christians shall be saved. 

Let us take notice of this. It requires far more than 
most people seem to think necessary, to save a soul. We 
may be baptized in the name of Christ, and boast con- 
fidently of our ecclesiastical privileges. We may possess 
head-knowledge, and be quite satisfied with our own state. 
We may even be preachers, and teachers of others, and do 
" many wonderful works" in connection with our church. 
But all this time are we practically doing the will of our 
Father in heaven ? Do we truly repent, truly believe on 
Christ, and live holy and humble lives ? If not, in spite 
of all our privileges and profession, w r e shall miss heaven 
at last, and be for ever cast away. We shall hear those 
awful w r ords, " I never knew you : depart from me." 

The day of judgment will reveal strange things. The 
hopes of many, who were thought great Christians while 
they lived, will be utterly confounded. The rottenness 
of their religion will be exposed and put to shame before 
the whole world, It will then be proved, that to be saved 
means something more than " making a profession." 
We must make a " practice" of our Christianity as well 
as a "profession." Let us often think of that great 
day. Let us often "judge ourselves, that we be not 
judged," and condemned by the Lord. Whatever else 
we are, let us aim at being real, true, and sincere. 



71 

The second lesson here is a striking picture of two classes 
of Christian hearers. Those who hear and do nothing — 
and those who hear and do as well as hear — are both 
placed before us ; and their histories traced to their 
respective ends. 

The man who hears Christian teaching, and practices 
what he hears, is like " a wise man who builds his house 
upon a rock." He does not content himself with listening 
to exhortations to repent, believe in Christ, and live a 
holy life. He actually repents. He actually believes. 
He actually ceases to do evil, learns to do well, abhors 
that which is sinful, and cleaves to that which is good. 
He is a doer as well as a hearer. (James i. 22.) 

And what is the result ? In the time of trial his 
religion does not fail him. The floods of sickness, sorrow, 
poverty, disappointments, bereavements beat upon him in 
vain. His soul stands unmoved. His faith does not give 
way. His comforts do not utterly forsake him. His religion 
may have cost him trouble in time past. His foundation 
may have been obtained with much labor and many tears. 
To discover his own interest in Christ may have required 
many a day of earnest seeking, and many an hour of 
wrestling in prayer. But his labor has not been thrown 
away. He now reaps a rich reward. The religion that 
can stand trial is the true religion. 

The man who hears Christian teaching, and never gets 
beyond hearing, is like " a foolish man who builds his 
house upon the sand." He satisfies himself with listening 
and approving, but he goes no further. He flatters 
himself, perhaps, that all is right with his soul, because 
he has feelings, and convictions, and desires, of a spiritual 



72 



EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 



kind. In these he rests. He never really breaks off from 
sin, and casts aside the spirit of the world. He never 
really lays hold on Christ. He never really takes up the 
cross. He is a hearer of truth, but nothing more. 

And what is the end of this man's religion ? It breaks 
down entirely under the first flood of tribulation. It fails 
him completely, like a summer-dried fountain, when his 
need is the sorest. It leaves its possessor high and dry, 
like a wreck on a sand bank, a scandal to the church, a 
by- word to the infidel, and a misery to himself. Most 
true is it that what costs little is worth little ! A religion 
which costs us nothing, and consists in nothing but 
hearing sermons, will always prove at last to be a useless 
thing. 

So ends the sermon on the mount. Such a sermon 
never was preached before. Such a sermon perhaps has 
never been preached since. Let us see that it has a 
lasting influence on our own souls. It is addressed to 
us as well as to those who first heard it. We are they 
who shall have to give account of its heart-searching 
lessons. It is no light matter what we think of them. 
The word that Jesus has spoken, " the same shall judge 
us in the last day." (John xii. 48.) 



MATTHEW VIII. 1—15. 



1 "When he "was come down from 
the mountain, great multitudes fol- 
lowed him. 

2 And, behold, there came a leper 
and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if 
thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. 

3 And Jesus put forth his hand, 
and touched him, saying, I will ; be 
thou clean. And immediately his 
leprosy was cleansed. 



4 And Jesus saith unto him, See 
thou *tell no man; but go thy way, 
shew thyself to the Priest, and offer 
the gift that Moses commanded, for a 
testimony unto them. 

5 And when Jesus was entered into 
Capernaum, there came unto him a 
centurion, beseeching him, 

6 And saying, Lord, my servant 



MATTHEW, CHAP. VIII. 



73 



lieth at home sick of the palsy, griev- 
ously tormented. 

7 And Jesus saith unto him, I will 
come and heal him. 

8 The centurion answered and said, 
Lord, I am not worthy that thou 
shouldest come under my roof: but 
speak the word only, and my servant 
shall he healed. 

9 For I am a man under authority, 
having soldiers under me : and I say 
to this man, Go, and he goeth ; and 
to another, Come, and he cometh ; 
and to my servant, Do this, and he 
doeth it. 

10 When Jesus heard it, he mar- 
velled, and said to them that followed, 
Verily I say unto you, I have not 
found so great faith, no, not in Israel. 

11 And I say unto you, That many 



shall come from the east and west, 
and shall sit down with Abraham, 
and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom 
of heaven. 

12 But the children of the kingdom 
shall be cast out into outer darkness : 
there shall be weeping and gnashing 
of teeth. 

13 And Jesus saith unto the centu- 
rion, Go thy way ; and as thou hast 
believed, so be it done unto thee. 
And his servant was healed in the 
selfsame hour. 

14 And when Jesus was come into 
Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother 
laid, and sick of a fever. 

15 And he touched her hand, and 
the fever left her : and she arose, and 
ministered unto them . 



The eighth chapter of St. Matthew's Gospel is full of our 
Lord's miracles. No less than five are specially recorded. 
There is a beautiful fitness in this. It was fitting that 
the greatest sermon ever preached should be immediately 
followed by mighty proof, that the preacher was the Son 
of God. Those who heard the sermon on the mount 
would be obliged to confess, that, as " none spake such 
words as this man," so also none did such works. 

The verses we have now read contain three great 
miracles. A leper is healed w T ith a touch. A palsied 
person is made well by a word. A woman sick with a 
fever is restored in a moment to health and strength. 
On the face of these three miracles, we may read three 
striking lessons. Let us examine them, and lay them to 
heart. 

Let us learn, for one thing, how great is the power of our 
Lord Jesus Christ. Leprosy is the most fearful disease by 
which man's body can be afflicted. He that has it is like 
one dead while he lives. It is a complaint regarded by 

4 



74 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 






physicians as incurable. (2 Kings v. T.) Yet Jesus says, 
" be thou clean, and immediately the leprosy was 
cleansed." — To heal a person of the palsy without even 
seeing him, by only speaking a word, is to do that which 
our minds cannot even conceive. Yet Jesus commands, 
and at once it is done. — To give a woman, prostrate 
with a fever, not merely relief, but strength to do work in 
an instant, would baffle the skill of all the physicians on 
earth. Yet Jesus " touched" Peter's wife's mother, and 
" she arose, and ministered unto them." — These are the 
doings of one that is Almighty. There is no escape from 
the conclusion. This was " the finger of God." (Exod. 
viii. 19.) 

Behold here a broad foundation for the faith of a 
Christian ! We are told in the Grospel to come to Jesus, 
to believe on Jesus, to live the life of faith in Jesus. 
We are encouraged to lean on Him, to east all our care 
on Him, to repose all the weight of our souls on Him. 
We may do so without fear. He can bear all. He is 
a strong rock. He is Almighty. It was a fine saying 
of an old saint, "nry faith can sleep sound on no other 
pillow than Christ's omnipotence." He can give life to 
the dead. He can give power to the weak. He can 
" increase strength to them that have no might." Let us 
trust him, and not be afraid. The world is full of snares. 
Our hearts are weak. Bat with Jesus nothing is im- 
possible. 

Let us learn, for another thing, the mercifulness and 
compassion of our Lord Jesus Christ. The circumstances 
of the three cases we are now considering were all different. 
He heard the leper's pitiful cry, " Lord, if thou wilt, 



75 

thou canst make me clean." — He was told of the cen- 
turion's servant, but He never saw him. — He saw Peter's 
wife's mother, " laid and sick of a fever ;" and we are 
not told that she spoke a word. — Yet in each case the 
heart of the Lord Jesus was one and the same. In each 
case He was quick to show mercy, and ready to heal. 
Each poor sufferer was tenderly pitied, and each effec- 
tually relieved. 

Behold here another strong foundation for our faith ! 
Our great High Priest is very gracious. He can be 
" touched with the feeling of our infirmities." He is 
never tired of doing us good. He knows that we are a 
weak and feeble people, in the midst of a weary and 
troublous world . He is as ready to bear with us, and help 
us, as He was 1 800 years ago. It is as true of Him now as 
it was then, "He despiseth not any." (Job xxxvi. 5.) No 
heart can feel for us so much as the heart of Christ. 

Let us learn, in the last place, what a precious thing 
is the grace of faith. We know little about the centurion 
described in these verses. His name, his nation, his 
past history, are all hidden from us. But one thing we 
know, and that is, that he believed. " Lord," he says, 
" I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my 
roof. Speak the word only, and my servant shall be 
healed." He believed, let us remember, when Scribes 
and Pharisees were unbelievers. He believed, though a 
Gentile born, when Israel was blinded. And our Lord 
pronounced upon him the commendation, which has been 
read all over the world from that time to this, " I have 
not found so great faith, no, not in Israel." 

Let us lay firm hold on this lesson. It deserves to be 



76 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

remembered. To believe Christ's power and willingness 
to help, and to make a practical use of our belief, is a 
rare and precious gift. Let us be ever thankful if we 
have it. To be willing to come to Jesus as helpless, lost 
sinners, and commit our souls into His hands is a mighty 
privilege. Let us ever bless God if this willingness is 
ours, for it is His gift. Such faith is better than all 
other gifts and knowledge in the world. Many a poor 
converted heathen, who knows nothing but that he is 
sick of sin, and trusts in Jesus, shall sit down in heaven, 
while many learned English scholars are rejected for 
evermore. Blessed indeed are they that believe ! 

What do we each know of this faith ? This is the 
great question. Our learning may be small : but do we 
believe ? Our opportunities of giving and working for 
Christ's cause may be few : but do we believe ? We 
may neither be able to preach, nor write, nor argue for 
the Gospel : but do we believe ? May we never rest till 
we can answer this inquiry ! Faith in Christ appears 
a small and simple thing to the children of this world. 
They see in it nothing great or grand. But faith in 
Christ is most precious in God's sight, and like most 
precious things, is rare. By it true Christians live. By 
it they stand. By it they overcome the world. With- 
out this faith no one can be saved. 



MATTHEW VIII. 16—26. 



16 When the even was come, they I 17 That it might he fulfilled which 
brought unto him many that were was spoken by Esaias the prophet, 
possessed with devils ; and he cast saying, Himself took our infirmities, 
out the spirits with Us word, and and bare our sicknesses, 
healed all that were sick : 1 is Now when Jesus saw great 



MATTHEW, CHAP. VIII. 



77 



multitudes about him, he gave com- 
mandment to depart unto the other 
side. 

19 And a certain Scribe came, and 
said unto him, Master, I will follow 
thee whithersoever thou goest. 

20 And Jesus saith unto him, The 
foxes have holes, and the birds of the 
air have nests ; but the Son of man 
hath not where to lay Ms head. 

21 And another of his disciples said 
unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go 
and bury my father. 

22 But Jesus said unto him, Follow 
me ; and let the dead bury their dead. 

23 And when he was entered into a 
ship, his disciples followed him. 



24 And, behold, there arose a great 
tempest in the sea, insomuch that the 
ship was covered with the waves ; but 
he was asleep. 

25 And his disciples came to Mm, 
and awoke him, saying, Lord, save 
us : we perish. 

26 And he saith unto them, Why 
are ye fearful, O ye of little faith'? 
Then he arose, and rebuked the winds 
and the sea ; and there was a great 
calm. 

27 But the men marvelled, saying, 
What manner of man is this, that 
even the winds and the sea obe^y 
him! 



In the first part of these verses we see a striking example 
of our Lord's wisdom in dealing with those who prof essed 
a ivillingness to be His disciples. The passage throws so 
much light on a subject frequently misunderstood in 
these days, that it deserves more than ordinary attention. 

A certain scribe offers to follow our Lord whithersoever 
He goes. It was a remarkable offer, when we consider 
the class to which the man belonged, and the time at 
which it was made. But the offer receives a remarkable 
answer. It is not directly accepted, nor yet flatly re- 
jected. Our Lord only makes the solemn reply, " the 
foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests ; 
but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head/' 

Another follower of our Lord next comes forward, and 
asks to be allowed to " bury his father," before going 
any further in the path of a disciple. The request 
seems, at first sight, a natural and lawful one. But it 
draws from our Lord's lips a reply no less solemn than 
that already referred to : " Follow me, and let the dead 
bury their dead." 

There is something deeply impressive in both these 



78 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

sayings. They ought to be well weighed by all rjrofess- 
ing Christians. They teach us plainly, that people who 
show a desire to come forward and profess themselves 
true disciples of Christ, should be warned plainly to 
" count the cost/' before they begin. — Are they prepared 
to endure hardship ? Are they ready to carry the cross ? 
If not, they are not yet fit to begin. — They teach us 
plainly that there are times when a Christian must 
literally give up all for Christ's sake, and when even 
such duties as attending to a parent's funeral must be 
left to be performed by others. Such duties some will 
always be ready to attend to ; and at no time can they 
be put in comparison with the greater duty of preaching 
the Gospel, and doing Christ's work in the world. 

It would be well for the churches of Christ, if these 
sayings of our Lord were more remembered than they 
are. It may well be feared, that the lesson they contain 
is too often overlooked by the ministers of the Gospel, 
and that thousands are admitted to full communion, 
who are never warned to " count the cost." Nothing, 
in fact, has done more harm to Christianity than the 
practice of filling the ranks of Christ's army with every 
volunteer who is willing to make a little profession, 
and talk fluently of his experience. It has been pain- 
fully forgotten that numbers alone do not make strength, 
and that there may be a great quantity of mere out- 
ward religion, while there is very little real grace. 
Let us all remember this. Let us keep back nothing 
from young professors and inquirers after Christ. Let 
us not enlist them on false pretences. Let us tell them 
plainly that there is a crown of glory at the end. But 



79 

let us tell them no less plainly, that there is a daily 
cross in the way. 

In the latter part of these verses we learn, that true 
saving faith is often mingled ivith much weakness and 
infirmity. It is a humbling lesson, but a very whole- 
some one. 

We are told of our Lord and His disciples crossing the 
sea of Galilee in a boat. A storm arises, and the boat 
is in danger of being filled with water, by the waves 
that beat over it. Meanwhile our Lord is asleep. The 
frightened disciples awake Him, and cry to Him for help. 
He hears their cry and stills the waters with a word, so 
that there is a a great calm." At the same time, He 
gently reproves the anxiety of His disciples. " Why 
are ye fearful, ye of little faith \" 

What a vivid picture we have here of the hearts of 
thousands of believers ! How many have faith and love 
enough to forsake all for Christ's sake, and follow Him 
whithersoever He goes, and yet are full of fears in the 
hour of trial ! How many have grace enough to turn to 
Jesus in every trouble, crying, " Lord save us," and yet 
not grace enough to lie still, and believe in the darkest 
hour that all is well ! Truly believers have reason in- 
deed to be " clothed with humility." 

Let the prayer " Lord, increase our faith," always form 
part of our daily petitions. We never perhaps know the 
weakness of our faith, until we are placed in the furnace 
of trial and anxiety. Blessed and happy is that person 
who finds by experience that his faith can stand the 
fire, and that he can say with Job, " though he slay me, 
yet will I trust in him." (Job xiii. 15.) 



80 



EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 



We have great reason to thank God that Jesus, our 
great High-priest, is very compassionate and tender- 
hearted. He knows our frame. He considers our infir- 
mities. He does not cast off His people because of de- 
fects. He pities even those whom he reproves. The 
prayer even of " little faith" is heard, and gets an answer. 



MATTHEW VIII. 28—34. 



28 And when he was come to the 
other side into the country of the 
Gergesenes, there met him two pos- 
sessed with devils, coming out of the 
tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no 
man might pass by that way. 

29 And, behold, they cried out, 
saying, What have we to do with 
thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art 
thou come hither to torment us before 
the time ? 

30 And there was a good way off 
from them an herd of many swine 
feeding. 

31 So the devils besought him, 
saying, If thou cast us out, suffer 



us to go away into the herd of 

swine. 

32 And he said unto them, Go. And 
when they were come out, they went 
into the herd of swine : and, behold, 
the whole herd of swine ran violently 
down a steep place into the sea, and 
perished in the waters. 

33 And they that kept them, fled, 
and went their ways into the city, 
and told every thing, and what was 
befallen to the possessed of the devils. 

34 And, behold the whole city 
came out to meet Jesus : and when 
they saw him they besought him that 
he would depart out of their coasts. 



The subject of these seven verses is deep and mysterious 
The casting out of a devil is here described with special 
fulness. It is one of those passages which throw strong 
light on a dark and difficult point. 

Let us settle it firmly in our minds, that there is such a 
being as the devil. It is an awful truth, and one too much 
overlooked. There is an unseen spirit ever near us, of 
mighty power, and full of endless malice against our 
souls. From the beginning of creation he has labored 
to injure man. Until the Lord comes the second time 
and binds him, he will never cease to tempt, and prac- 
tice mischief. In the days when our Lord was upon 



vni. 81 

earth, it is clear that he had a peculiar power over the 
"bodies of certain men and women, as well as over their 
souls. Even in our own times there may he more of this 
bodily possession than some suppose, though confessedly 
in far less degree than when Christ came in the flesh. 
But that the devil is ever near us in spirit, and ever 
ready to ply our hearts with temptations, ought never to 
be forgotten. 

Let us, in the next place, settle it firmly in our minds, 
that the poiver of the devil is limited. Mighty as he is, 
there is one mightier still. Keenly set as his wull is on 
doing harm in the world, he can only work by permission. 
These very verses show us that the evil spirits know they 
can only go to and fro, and ravage the earth, until the 
time allowed them by the Lord of lords. " Art thou come 
to torment us," they say, " before the time ?" Their very 
petition shows us that they could not even hurt one of 
the Gergesene swine, unless Jesus the Son of God suf- 
fered them. " Suffer us/' they say," to go into the herd 
of swine." 

Let us, in the next place, settle it in our minds, that 
our Lord Jesus Christ is man's great deliverer from the 
poiver of the devil. He can redeem us not only " from 
all iniquity," and " this present evil world," but from the 
devil. It was prophecied of old that he should bruise 
the serpent's head. He began to bruise that head, when 
he was born of the Virgin Mary. He triumphed over that 
head when He died upon the cross. He showed His com- 
plete dominion over Satan, by " healing all that were op- 
pressed of the devil," when He was upon earth. (Acts x. 
38.) Our great remedy in all the assaults of the devil, 

4* 



82 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

is to cry to the Lord Jesus, and to seek His help. He can 
break the chains that Satan casts round us, and set us 
free. He can cast out every devil that plagues our hearts, 
as surely as in the days of old. It would be miserable 
indeed to know that there is a devil ever near us, if we 
did not also know that Christ was " able to save to the 
uttermost, because he ever liveth to make intercession 
for us." (Heb. vii. 25.) 

Let us not leave this passage without observing the 
'painful worldliness of the Gergesenes, among whom this 
miracle of casting out a devil was wrought. They be- 
sought the Lord Jesus to " depart out of their coasts." 
They had no heart to leal for anything but the loss of 
their swine. They cared not that two fellow-creatures, 
with immortal souls, were freed from Satan's bondage. 
They cared not that there stood among them a greater 
than the devil, Jesus the Son of G-od. They cared for 
nothing but that their swine were drowned, and " the hope 
of their gains gone." They ignorantly regarded Jesus as 
one who stood between them and their profits, and they 
only wished to be rid of Him. 

There are only too many like these G-ergesenes. There 
are thousands who care not one jot for Christ, or Satan, 
so long as they can make a little more money, and have 
a little more of the good things of this world. From 
this spirit may we be delivered ! Against this spirit may 
we ever watch and pray ! It is very common. It is 
awfully infectious. Let us recollect every morning that 
we have souls to be saved, and that we shall one day 
die, and after that be judged. Let us beware of loving 
the world more than Christ. Let us beware of hindering 



MATTHEW, CHAP. IX. 



83 



the salvation of others, because we fear the increase of 
true religion may diminish our gains, or give us trouble. 



MATTHEW IX. 1—13. 



1 And he entered into a ship, and 
passed over, and came into his own 
city. 

2 And, heboid, they brought to him 
a man sick of the palsy, lying on a 
bed : and Jesus seeing their faith said 
unto the sick of the palsy : Son, be of 
good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee. 

3 And, behold, certain of the Scribes 
said within themselves. This man 
blasphcmeth. 

4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts 
said, Wherefore think ye evil in your 
hearts ? 

5 For whether is easier, to say, Thy 
sins be forgiven thee ; or to say, Arise, 
and walk ? 

6 But that ye may know that the 
Son of man hath power on earth to 
forgive sins, (then saitli he to the sick 
of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, 
and go unto thine house. 

7 And he arose, and departed to 
his house. 

8 But when the multitudes saw it, 



they marvelled, and glorified God, 
which had given such power unto 
men. 

9 And as Jesus passed forth from 
thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, 
sitting at the receipt of custom ; and 
he saith uuto him, Follow me. And 
he arose, and followed him. 

10 And it came to pass, as Jesus sat 
at meat in the house, behold, many 
Publicans and sinners came and sat 
down with him and his disciples. 

11 And when the Pharisees saw it, 
they said unto his disciples, Why 
eateth your Master with Publicans 
and sinners ? 

12 But when Jesus heard that, he 
said unto them, They that be whole 
need not a physician, but they that 
are sick. 

13 But go ye and learn what that 
meaneth, 1 will have mercy and not 
sacrifice : for 1 am not come to call the 
righteous, but sinners to repentance. 



Let us notice in the first part of this passage our 
Lord's hioivledge of men's thoughts. 

There were certain of the scribes, who found fault 
with the words which Jesus spoke to a man sick of the 
palsy. They said secretly among themselves, " this man 
blasphemeth." They probably supposed that no one 
knew what was going on in their minds. They had yet 
to learn that the Son of God could read hearts, and 
discern spirits. Their malicious thought was publicly 
exposed. They were put to an open shame. 

There is an important lesson for us in this. "All 
things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with 



84 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

whom we have to do." (Heb. iv. 13.) Nothing can be 
concealed from Christ. What do we think of, in private, 
when no man sees us ? What do we think of, in church, 
when we seem so grave and serious ? What are we think- 
ing of at this moment, while these words pass under our 
eyes ? Jesus knows. Jesus sees. Jesus records. Jesus 
will one day call us to give account. It is written that 
u God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ 
according to my Gospel/' (Rom. ii. 16.) Surely we ought 
to be very humble when we consider these things. We 
ought to thank God daily that the blood of Christ can 
cleanse from all sin. We ought often to cry, u Let the 
words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart be 
acceptable in thy sight/'' (Psalm xix. 14.) 

Let us notice in the second place, the wonderful call 
of the apostle Matthew to be Christ's disciple. 

We find the man, who afterwards was the first to write 
a Gospel, sitting at the receipt of custom. We see him 
absorbed in his worldly calling, and possibly thinking 
of nothing but money and gain. But suddenly the 
Lord Jesus calls on him to follow Him, and become His 
disciple. At once Matthew obeys. He " makes haste, 
and delays not" to keep Christ's commandment. (Psal. 
cxix. 60.) He arises and follows Him. 

Let it be a fixed principle in our religion, that with 
Christ nothing is impossible. He can take a tax-gatherer, 
and make him an apostle. He can change any heart, 
and make all things new. Let us never despair of any 
one's salvation. Let us pray on, and speak on, and work 
on to do good to souls, even to the souls of the worst. 
" The voice of the Lord is mighty in operation." (Psal. 



MATTHEW. CHAP. IX. 85 

xxix. 4.) When He says by the power of the Spirit, 
" follow me," He can make the hardest and most 
sinful obey. 

Let us observe Matthew's decision. He waited for 
nothing. He did not tarry for " a convenient season." 
(Acts xxiv. 25.) And he reaped in consequence a great 
reward. He wrote a book, which is known all over the 
earth. He became a blessing to others, as well as blessed 
in his own soul. He left a name behind him, which is 
better known than the names of princes and kings. 
The richest man of the world is soon forgotten when he 
dies. But as long as the world stands, millions will 
know the Dame of Matthew the publican. 

Let us notice, in the last place, our Lord's precious 
declaration about His own mission. 

The Pharisees found fault with Him, because He al- 
lowed publicans and sinners to be in His company. In 
their proud blindness they fancied, that a teacher sent 
from heaven ought to have no dealings with such people. 
They were wholly ignorant of the grand design for which 
the Messiah was to come into the world, to be a Saviour, 
a Physician, a healer of sin-sick souls. And they drew 
from our Lord's lips a rebuke, accompanied by the 
blessed words, " I came not to call the righteous, but 
sinners to repentance." 

Let us make sure that we thoroughly understand the 
doctrine that these words contain. The first thing need- 
ful, in order to have an interest in Christ, is to feel 
deeply our own corruption, and to be willing to come to 
Him for deliverance. We are not to keep away from 
Christ, as many ignorantly do, because we feel bad, and 



86 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

wicked, and unworth}^ We are to remember that sin- 
ners are those He came into the world to save, and that 
if we feel ourselves such, it is well. Happy is he who 
really comprehends that one principal qualification for 
coming to Christ is a deep sense of sin ! 

Finally, if by the grace of G-od we really understand 
the glorious truth that sinners are those whom Christ 
came to call, let us take heed that we never forget it. 
Let us not dream that true Christians can ever attain 
such a state of perfection is this world, as not to need 
the mediation and intercession of Jesus. Sinners we are 
in the day we first come to Christ. Poor needy sinners 
we continue to be so long as we live, drawing all the 
grace we have every hour out of Christ's fulness. Sin- 
ners we shall find ourselves in the hour of our death, 
and shall die as much indebted to Christ's blood, as in 
the day we first believed. 



MATTHEW IX. 14—26. 



14 Then came to him the disciples 
of John, saying, Why do we and the 
Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples 
fast not ? 

15 And Jesus said unto them, Can 
the children of the bridechamber 
mourn, as long as the bridegroom is 
with them ? but the days will come, 
when the bridegroom shall be taken 
from them, and then shall they fast. 

16 No man putteth a piece of new 
cloth unto an old garment, for that 
which is put in to fill it up taketh 
from the garment, and the rent is 
made worse. 

17 Neither do men put new wine 
into old bottles : else the bottles break, 
and the wine runneth out, and the 
bottles perish : but they put new wine 
into new bottles, and both are pre- 
served. 



18 While he spake these things 
unto them, behold, there came a 
certain ruler, and worshipped him, 
saying, My daughter is even now 
dead : but come and lay thy hand 
upon her, and she shall live. 

19 And Jesus arose, and followed 
him, and so did his disciples. 

20 And, behold, a woman, which 
was diseased with an issue of blood 
twelve years, came behiud Mm, and 
touched the hem of his garment : 

21 For she said within herself, If 
I may but touch his garment, I shall 
be whole. 

22 But Jesus turned him about, 
and when he saw her, he said, 
Daughter, be of good comfort; thy 
faith hath made thee whole. And the 
woman was made whole from that 
hour. 



MATTHEW, CHAP. IX. 



87 



23 And when Jesus came into the 
ruler's house, and saw the minstrels 
and the people making a noise, 

~24 He said unto them, Give place : 
for the maid is not dead, hut sleepeth. 
And they laughed him to scorn. 



25 But when the people were put 
forth, he went, in, and took her by 
the hand, and the maid arose. 

26 And the fame hereof went abroad 
into all that land. 



Let us mark in this passage, the gracious name by which 
the Lord Jesus speaks of Himself. He calls Himself 
" the bridegroom" 

What the bridegroom is to the bride, the Lord Jesus 
is to the souls of all who believe in Him. He loves them 
with a deep and everlasting love. He takes them into 
union with Himself. They are " one with Christ and 
Christ in them." He pays all their debts to God. He 
supplies all their daily need. He sympathizes with them 
in all their troubles. He bears with all their infirmities, 
and does not reject them for a few weaknesses. He 
regards them as part of Himself. Those that persecute 
and injure them are persecuting Him. The glory that 
He has received from His Father they will one day 
share with Him, and where He is, there shall they be. 
Such are the privileges of all true Christians. They are 
the Lamb's wife. (Rev. xix. 7.) Such is the portion to 
which faith admits us. By it God joins our poor sinful 
souls to one precious Husband ; and those whom God 
thus joins together, shall never be put asunder. Blessed 
>ndeecl are they that believe ! 

Let us mark, in the next place, what a wise principle the 
Lord Jesus lays down for the treatment of young disciples. 

There were some who found fault with our Lord's fol- 
ijwers, because they did not fast as John the Baptist's 
JLiscijples did. Our Lord defends His disciples with an 
lygament full of deep wisdom. He shows that there 



88 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

would be a want of fitness in their fasting, so long as He, 
their Bridegroom, was with them. But He does not 
stop there. He goes on to show, by two parables, that 
young beginners in the school of Christianity must be 
dealt with gently. They must be taught as they are 
able to bear. They must not be expected to receive 
everything at once. To neglect this rule would be as 
unwise as to " put new wine into old bottles/' or to put 
" a piece of new cloth to an old garment." 

There is a mine of deep wisdom in this, which all 
would do well to remember, in the spiritual teaching of 
those who are young in experience. We must be careful 
not to attach an excessive importance to the lesser things 
of religion. We must not be in a hurry to require a 
minute conformity to one rigid rule in things indifferent, 
until the first principles of repentance and faith have 
been thoroughly learned. To guide us in this matter, 
we have great need to pray for grace, and Christian 
common sense. Tact in dealing with young disciples is 
a rare gift, but a very useful one. To know what to in- 
sist upon as absolutely necessary from the first — and 
what to reserve, as a lesson to be learned when the 
learner has come to more perfect knowledge — is one of 
the highest attainments of a teacher of souls. 

Let us mark, in the next place, what encouragement 
our Lord gives to the humblest faith. 

We read in this passage, that a woman sorely afflicted 
with disease, came behind our Lord in the crowd, and 
" touched the hem" of His garment, in the hope that 
by so doing she should be healed. She said not a word 
to obtain help. She made no public confession of faith. 



89 

But she had confidence, that if she could only " touch His 
garment," she would be made well. And so it was. There 
lay hid in that act of her's a seed of precious faith, which 
obtained our Lord's commendation. She was made whole 
at once, and returned home in peace. To use the words 
of a good old writer, " She came trembling, and went 
back triumphing.'' 

Let us store up in our minds this history. It 
may perhaps help us mightily in some hour of need. 
Our faith may be feeble. Our courage may be small. 
Our grasp of the Gospel, and its promises, may be weak 
and trembling. But, after all, the grand question is, do 
we really trust only in Christ ? Do we look to Jesus, 
and only to Jesus, for pardon and peace ? If this be so, 
it is well. If we may not touch His garment, we can 
touch His heart. Such faith saves the soul. Weak faith 
is less comfortable than strong faith. Weak faith will 
carry us to heaven with far less joy than full assurance. 
But weak faith gives an interest in Christ as surely as 
strong faith. He that only touches the hem of Christ's 
garment shall never perish. 

In the last place, let us mark in this passage, our 
Lord's almighty power. He restores to life one that was 
dead. 

How wonderful that sight must have been ! Who 
that has ever seen the dead, can forget the stillness, the 
silence, the coldness, when the breath has left the body ? 
Who can forget the awful feeling, that a mighty change 
has taken place, and a mighty gulf been placed between 
ourselves and the departed ? But behold ! our Lord goes 
to the chamber where the dead lies, and calls the spirit 



90 



EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 



back to its earthly tabernacle. The pulse once more 
beats. The eyes once more see. The breath once more 
comes and goes. The ruler's daughter is once more 
alive, and restored to her father and mother. This was 
omnipotence indeed ! None could have done this but He 
who first created man, and has all power in heaven and 
earth. 

This is the kind of truth we never can know too well. 
The more clearly we see Christ's power, the more likely 
we are to realize Gospel peace. Our position may be 
trying. Our hearts may be weak. The world may be 
difficult to journey through. Our faith may seem too 
small to carry us home. But let us take courage, when 
we think on Jesus, and not be cast down. Greater is He 
that is for us, than all they that are against us. Our 
Saviour can raise the dead. Our Saviour is almighty. 



MATTHEW IX. 27—37. 



27 And when Jesus departed thence, 
two blind men followed him, crying, 
and saying, Thou Son of David, have 
mercy on us. 

28 And when he was come into the 
house, the blind men came to him : 
and Jesus saith unto them, Believe 
ye that I am able to do this? They 
said unto him, Yea, Lord. 

29 Then touched he their eyes, 
saying, According to your faith be it 
unto you. 

80 And their eyes were opened ; 
and Jesus straitly charged them, say- 
ing, See that no man know it. 

31 But they, when they were de- 
parted, spread abroad his fame in all 
that country. 

32 As they went out, behold, they 
brought to him a dumb man possessed 
with a devil. 

33 And when the devil was cast 
out, the dumb spake : and the multi- 



tudes marvelled, saying, It was never 
so seen in Israel. 

34 But the Pharisees said, Ha 
casteth out devils through the prince 
of the devils. 

_ 35 And Jesus went about all the 
cities and villages, teaching in their 
synagogues, and preaching the Gospel 
of the kingdom, and healing every 
sickness and every disease among the 
people. 

36 But when he saw the multitudes, 
he was moved with compassion on 
them, because they fainted, and were 
scattered abroad, as sheep having no 
shepherd. 

37 Then saith he unto his disciples, 
The harvest truly is plenteous, but 
the laborers are few; 

38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of 
the harvest, that he will send forth 
laborers into his harvest. 



91 

There are four lessons in this passage, which deserve 
close attention. Let us mark them each in succession. 

Let us mark, in the first place, that strong faith in 
Christ may sometimes be found ivhere it might least have 
been expected. Who would have thought that two blind 
men would have called our Lord the " Son of David ?" 
They could not, of course, have seen the miracles that 
He did. They could only know Him by common report. 
But the eyes of their understanding were enlightened, if 
their bodily eyes were dark. They saw the truth which 
Scribes and Pharisees could not see. They saw that 
Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah. They believed that 
He was able to heal them. 

An example like this shows us, that we must never 
despair of any one's salvation, merely because he lives in 
a position unfavorable to his soul. Grace is stronger 
than circumstances. The life of religion does not depend 
merely upon outward advantages. The Holy Ghost can 
give faith, and keep faith in active exercise without book- 
learning, without money, and with scanty means of grace. 
Without the Holy Ghost a man may know all mysteries, 
and live in the full blaze of the Gospel, and yet be lost. 
We shall see many strange sights at the last day. Poor 
cottagers will be found to have believed in the Son of 
David, while rich men, full of university learning, will 
prove to have lived and died like the Pharisees, in 
hardened unbelief. Many that are last will be first, and 
the first last. (Matt, xx. 16.) 

Let us mark, in the next place, that our Lord Jesus 
Christ has had great experience of disease and sickness. 
He " went about all the cities and villages" doing good. 



92 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

He was an eye-witness of all the ills that flesh is heir to. 
He saw ailments of every kind, sort, and description. 
He was brought in contact with every form of bodily 
suffering. None were too loathsome for Him to attend 
to. None were too frightful for Him to cure. He was 
a healer of every " sickness and every disease." 

There is much comfort to be drawn from this fact. 
We are each dwelling in a poor frail body. We never 
know what quantity of suffering we may have to watch, 
as we sit by the bedside of dear relations and friends. 
We never know what racking complaint we ourselves 
may have to submit to, before we lie down and die. But 
let us arm ourselves betimes with the precious thought 
that Jesus is specially fitted to be the sick man's friend. 
That great high-priest to whom we must apply for pardon 
and peace with God, is eminently qualified to sympathize 
with an aching body, as well as to heal an ailing con- 
science. The eyes of Him who is King of kings used 
often to look with pity on the diseased. The world cares 
little for the sick, and often keeps aloof from them. 
But the Lord Jesus cares specially for the sick. He is 
the first to visit them, and say, "I stand at the door 
and knock." Happy are they who hear His voice, and 
let Him in ! 

Let us mark, in the next place, our Lord's tender con- 
cern for neglected souls. " He saw multitudes" of people 
when He was on earth, scattered about "like sheep having 
no shepherd," and He was moved with compassion. He 
saw them neglected by those who, for the time, ought to 
have been teachers. He saw them ignorant, hopeless, 
helpless, dying, and unfit to die. The sight moved Him 



ix. 93 

to deep pity. That loving heart could not see such 
things, and not feel. 

Now what are our feelings when we see such a sight ? 
This is the question that should arise in our minds. 
There are many such to he seen on every side. There 
are millions of idolaters and heathen on earth — millions 
of deluded Mahometans — millions of superstitious Ro- 
man Catholics. There are thousands of ignorant Protest- 
ants near our own doors. Do we feel tenderly concerned 
ahout their souls ? Do we deeply pity their spiritual 
destitution ? Do we long to see that destitution relieved ? 
These are serious inquiries, and ought to he answered. 
It is easy to sneer at missions to the heathen, and those 
who work for them. But the man who does not feel 
for the souls of all unconverted persons, can surely not 
have " the mind of Christ." (1 Cor. ii. 16.) 

Let us mark, in the last place, that there is a solemn 
duty incumbent on all Christians, who would do good to 
the unconverted part of the world. They are to pray for 
more men to he raised up to work for the conversion of 
souls. It seems as if it was to be a daily part of our 
prayers. " Pray ye the Lord of the harvest that he 
would send forth laborers into his harvest." 

If we know anything of prayer, let us make it a point 
of conscience never to forget this solemn charge of our 
Lord's. Let us settle it in our minds, that it is one of 
the surest ways of doing good, and stemming evil. 
Personal working for souls is good. Giving money is 
good. But praying is best of all. By prayer we reach 
Him without whom work and money are alike in vain. 
We obtain the aid of the Holy Ghost. — Money can pay 



94 



EXPOSITOEY THOUGHTS. 



agents. Universities can give learning. Congregations 
may elect. Bishops may ordain. But the Holy Ghost 
alone can make ministers of the Gospel, and raise up lay 
workmen in the spiritual harvest, who need not be 
ashamed. Never, never may we forget that if we would 
do good to the world, our first duty is to pray ! 



MATTHEW X. 1—15. 



1 And when he had called unto j 
Mm his twelve disciples, he gave them I 
power against unclean spirits, to cast I 
them out, and to heal all manner of ' 
sickness and all manner of disease. 

2 Now the names of the twelve j 
apostles are these : The first, Simon, 
who is called Peter, and Andrew^his | 
brother ; James, tJte son of Zebedee, 
and John his brother ; 

3 Philip, and Bartholomew ; Thorn- ; 
as, and Matthew the Publican ; James j 
the son of Alphasus, and Lebbseus, I 
whose surname was Thadclseus : 

4 Simon the Canaanite, and Judas j 
Iscariot, who also betrayed him. 

5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, J 
and commanded them, saying, Go not | 
into the way of the Gentiles, and 
into any city of the Samaritans enter 
ye not ; 

6 But go rather to the lost sheep i 
of the house of Israel. 

7 And as ye go, preach, saying, j 
The kingdom of heaven is at hand. 

8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, ' 



raise the dead, cast out devils : freely 
ye have received, freely give. 

9 Provide neither gold nor silver, 
nor brass in your purses, 

10 Nor scrip for your joraraey, nei- 
ther two coats, neither snoes, nor yet 
staves : for the workman is worthy'of 
his meat. 

11 And into whatsoever city or 
town ye shall enter, enquire who in 
it is worthy ; and there abide till ye 
go thence." 

12 And when ye come into an 
house, salute it. 

13 And if the house be worthy, let 
your peace come upon it : but if it be 
not worthy, let your peace return to 
you. 

14 And whosoever shall not receive 
you, nor hear your words, when ye 
depart out of" that house or city, 
shake off the dust of your feet. 

15 Verily I say unto you, It shall 
be more tolerable for the land of 
Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of 
judgment, than for that city. 



This chapter is one of peculiar solemnity. Here is the 
record of the first ordination which ever took place in the 
church of Christ. The Lord Jesus chooses and sends 
forth the twelve apostles. — Here is an account of the first 
charge ever delivered to newly ordained Christian minis- 
ters. The Lord Jesus Himself delivers it. — Never was 



95 

there so important an ordination. Never was there so 
solemn a charge ! 

There are three lessons which stand out prominently 
on the face of the first fifteen verses of this chapter. 
Let us take them in order. 

We are taught, in the first place, that all ministers are 
not necessarily good men. We see our Lord choosing a 
Judas Iscariot to he one of His apostles. We cannot 
doubt that He who knew all hearts, knew well the charac- 
ters of the men whom He chose. And He includes in 
the list of apostles one who was a traitor ! 

We shall do well to bear in mind this fact. Orders do 
not confer the saving grace of the Holy Ghost. Ordained 
men are not necessarily converted. We are not to regard 
them as infallible, either in doctrine or in practice. We 
are not to make popes or idols of them, and insensibly 
put them in Christ's place. We are to regard them as 
" men of like passions" with ourselves, liable to the same 
infirmities, and daily requiring the same grace. We are 
not to think it impossible for them to do very bad things, 
or to expect them to be above the reach of harm from 
flattery, covetousness, and the world. We are to prove 
their teaching by the word of God, and follow them so 
far as they follow Christ, but no further. Above all, we 
ought to pray for them, that they may be successors 
not of Judas Iscariot, but of James and John. It is an 
awful thing to be a minister of the Gospel ! Ministers 
need many prayers. 

We are taught, in the next place, that the great ivork 
of a minister of Christ is to do good. He is sent to seek 
"lost sheep," — to proclaim glad tidings, — to relieve those 



96 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS, 

who are suffering, — to diminish sorrow, — and to increase 
joy. His life is meant to be one of " giving," rather than 
receiving. 

This is a high standard, and a very peculiar one. Let 
it be well weighed, and carefully examined. It is plain, 
for one thing, that the life of a faithful minister of Christ 
cannot be one of ease. He must be ready to spend body 
and mind, time and strength, in the work of His calling. 
Laziness and frivolity are bad enough in any profession, 
but worst of all in that of a watchman for souls. — It is 
plain, for another thing, that the position of the ministers 
of Christ is not that which ignorant people sometimes 
ascribe to them, and which they unhappily sometimes 
claim for themselves. They are not so much ordained to 
rule as to serve. They are not intended so much to 
have dominion over the Church, as to supply its wants, 
and wait upon its members. (2 Cor. i. 24.) Happy 
would it be for the cause of true religion, if these things 
were better understood ! Half the diseases of Chris- 
tianity have arisen from mistaken notions about the 
minister's office. 

We are taught, in the last place, that it is a most 
dangerous thing to neglect the offers of the Gospel. It shall 
prove " more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Go- 
morrha" in the judgment day, than for those who have 
heard Christ's truth, and not received it. 

This is a doctrine fearfully overlooked, and one that 
deserves serious consideration. Men are sadly apt to 
forget, that it does not require great open sins to be sinned, 
in order to ruin a soul for ever. They have only to go 
on hearing without believing, listening without repenting, 



MATTHEW, CHAP. X. 97 

going to Church without going to Christ, and by and bye 
they will find themselves in hell ! We shall all be judged 
according to our light. We shall have to give account 
of our use of religious privileges. To hear of the " great 
salvation/' and yet neglect it, is one of the worst sins man 
can commit. (John xvi. 9.) 

What are we doing ourselves with the Gospel ? This 
is the question which every one who reads this passage 
should put to his conscience. Let us assume that we are 
decent and respectable in our lives, correct and moral in 
all the relations of life, regular in our formal attendance 
on the means of grace. It is all well, so far as it goes. 
But is this all that can be said of us ? Are we really 
receiving the love of the truth ? Is Christ dwelling in 
our hearts by faith ? If not, we are in fearful danger. 
We are far more guilty than the men of Sodom, who 
never heard the Gospel at all. We may awake to find, 
that in spite of our regularity, and morality, and correct- 
ness, we have lost our souls for all eternity It will 
not save us to have lived in the full sunshine of Christian 
privileges, and to have heard the Gospel faithfully 
preached every week. There must be experimental 
acquaintance with Christ. There must be personal re- 
ception of His truth. There must be vital union with 
Him. We must become his servants and disciples. 
Without this, the preaching of the Gospel only adds to 
our responsibility, increases our guilt, and will at length 
sink us more deeply into hell. These are hard sayings. 
But the words of Scripture, which we have read, are 
plain and unmistakeable. They are all true. 



98 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 



MATTHEW X. 16—23. 

16 Behold, I send you forth as j 20 For it is not ye that speak, but 
sheep in the midst of wolves: he ye j the Spirit of your Father which speak- 
therefore wise as serpents, and harm- I eth in you. 

lesB E3 doves. 21 And the brother shall deliver 

17 But beware of men: for they j up the brother to death, and the father 
will deliver you up to the councils, j the child: and the children shall rj-e 
and :ney will scourge you in their j up against their parents, and cause 
synagogues ; i them to be put to death. 

18 And ye shall be brought before 22 And ye shall be hated of all men 
governors and kings for my sake, for for my name's sake : but he that en- 
a testimony against them and the j dureth to the end shall be saved. 
Gentiles. ' 23 But when they persecute you in 



19 But when they deliver you up, 
take no thought how or what ye shall 
speak : for it shall be given you in 
that same hour what ye shall speak. 



this city, flee ye into another : for 
verily I say unto you, Ye shall nos 
have gone over the cities of Israel, 
till the Son of man be come. 



The truths contained in these verses should be pondered 
by all who try to do good in the world. To the selfish 
man, who cares for nothing but his own ease or comfort, 
there may seem to be little in them. To the minister of 
the Gosrjel, and to every one who seeks to save souls, 
these verses ought to be full of interest. No doubt there 
is much in them, which applies specially to the days of 
the apostles. But there is much also which applies to all 
times. 

We see, for one thing, that those who would do good 
to souls, must be moderate in their expectations. They 
must not think that universal success will attend their 
labors. They must reckon on meeting with much oppo- 
sition. They must make up their minds to " be hated," 
persecuted, and ill-used, and that too by their nearest 
relations. They will often find themselves like " sheep 
in the midst of wolves." 

Let us bear this in mind continually. Whether we 
preach, or teach, or visit from house to house, — whether 
we write or give counsel, or whatever we do, let it be a 



99 

settled principle with us not to expect more than Scrip- 
ture and experience warrant. Human nature is far 
more wicked and corrupt than we think. The power 
of evil is far greater than we suppose. It is vain to 
imagine that everybody will see what is good for them, 
and believe what we tell them. It is expecting what we 
shall not find, and will only end in disappointment. 
Happy is that laborer for Christ, who knows these 
things at his first starting, and has not to learn them by 
bitter experience ! Here lies the secret cause why many 
have turned back, who once seemed full of zeal to do good. 
They began with extravagant expectations. They did not 
count the cost. They fell into the mistake of the great 
German Keformer, who confessed he forgot at one time, 
that " old Adam was too strong for young Melancthon." 

We see, for another thing, that those who would do 
good have need to pray for wisdom, good sense, and a 
sound mind. Our Lord tells his disciples to be " wise as 
serpents, and harmless as doves/' He tells them that 
when they are persecuted in one place, they may law- 
fully " flee to another/' 

There are few of our Lord's instructions which it is 
so difficult to use rightly as this. There is a line marked 
out for us between two extremes ; but one that it re- 
quires great judgment to define. To avoid persecution 
by holding our tongues, and keeping our religion entirely 
to ourselves, is one extreme. We are not to err in that 
direction. — To court persecution, and thrust our religion 
upon every one we meet, without regard to place, time, 
or circumstances, is another extreme. In this direction 
also we are warned not to err any more than in tho 



100 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

other. — Truly we may say, " who is sufficient for these 
things ?'■' We have need to cry to the only wise G-od for 
wisdom. 

The extreme into which most men are liable to fall in 
the present day, is that of silence, cowardice, and letting 
others alone. Our so-called prudence is apt to degene- 
rate into a compromising line of conduct, or downright 
unfaithfulness. We are only too ready to suppose that it 
is of no use trying to do good to certain people. We ex- 
cuse ourselves from efforts to benefit their souls, by saying 
it would be indiscreet, or inexpedient, or would give need- 
less offence, or would even do positive harm. Let us all 
watch and be on our guard against this spirit. Laziness 
and the devil are often the true explanation of it. To 
give way to it is pleasant to flesh and blood, no doubt, 
and saves us much trouble. But those who give way to 
it often throw away great opportunities of usefulness. 

On the other hand, it is impossible to deny that there 
is such a thing as a righteous and holy zeal, which is " not 
according to knowledge." It is quite possible to create 
much needless offence, commit great blunders, and stir up 
much opposition, which might have been avoided by a 
little prudence, wise management, and exercise of judg- 
ment. Let us all take heed that we are not guilty in 
this respect. We may be sure there is such a thing as 
Christian wisdom, which is quite distinct from Jesuitical 
subtlety, or carnal policy. This wisdom let us seek. 
Our Lord Jesus does not require us to throw aside our 
common sense, when we undertake to work for Him. 
There will be offence enough connected with our religion, 
do what we will ; but let us not increase it without cause. 



MATTHEW, CHAP. X. 101 

Let us strive to " walk circumspectly, not as fools but as 
wise." (Ephes. v. 15.) 

It is to be feared, that believers in trie Lord Jesus do 
not sufficiently pray for the spirit of knowledge, judg- 
ment, and a sound mind. They are apt to fancy that if 
they have grace, they have all they need. They forget 
that a gracious heart should pray that it may be full of 
wisdom, as well as of the Holy Ghost. (Acts vi. 3.) 
Let us all remember this. Great grace and common 
sense are perhaps one of the rarest combinations. 
That they may go together, the life of David, and the 
ministry of the apostle Paul are striking proofs. In this, 
however, as in every other respect, our Lord Jesus Christ 
Himself is our most perfect example. None were ever 
so faithful as He. But none were ever so truly wise. 
Let us make Him our pattern, and walk in His steps. 



24 The disciple is not above Ms 
master, nor the servant above his lord. 

25 It is enough for the disciple 
that he be as his master, and the 
servant as his lord. If they have 
called the master of the house Beelze- 
bub, how much more shall tliey call 
them of his household ? 

26 Fear them not therefore : for 
there is nothing covered, that shall 
not be revealed ; and hid, that shall 
not be known. , 

27 What I tell you in darkness that 



MATTHEW X. 24—33. 

soul ; but rather fear him which is. 
able to destroy both soul and body in 



hell. 

29 Are not two sparrows sold for a 
farthing ? and one of them shall not 
fall on the ground without your 
Father. 

30 But the very hairs of your head 
are all numbered. 

31 Fear ye not therefore, ye are of 
more value than many sparrows. 

32 Whosoever therefore shall con- 
fess me before men, him will I confess 

ik ye in light : and what ye hear \ also before my Father which is in 
in the ear, that preach ye upon the , heaven. 

housetops. 33 But whosoever shall deny me 

28 And fear not them which kill before men, him will I also deny be- 
the body, but are not able to kill the fore my Father which is in heaven. 

To do good to souls in this world is very hard. All 
who try it find out this by experience. It needs a large 
stock of courage, faith, patience, and perseverance. 



102 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

Satan will fight vigorously to maintain his kingdom. 
Human nature is desperately wicked. To do harm is 
easy. To do good is hard. 

The Lord Jesus knew this well, when He sent forth 
His disciples to preach the Gospel for the first time. 
He knew what was before them, if they did not. He 
took care to supply them with a list of encouragements, 
in order to cheer them when they felt cast down. Weary 
missionaries abroad, or fainting ministers at home — dis- 
heartened teachers of schools, and desponding visitors 
of districts, would do well to study often the nine verses 
we have just read. Let us mark what they contain. 

Those who try to do good to souls must not expect to 
fare better than their great Master. " The disciple is 
not above his Master, nor the servant above his Lord." 
The Lord Jesus was slandered and rejected by those 
whom he came to benefit. There was no error in His 
teaching. There was no defect in His method of impart- 
ing instruction. Yet many hated Him, and " called Him 
Beelzebub/' Few believed Him, and cared for what He 
said. Surely we have no right to be surprised if we, 
whose best efforts are mingled with much imperfection, 
are treated in the same way as Christ. If we let the 
world alone, it will probably let us alone. But if we try 
to do it spiritual good, it will hate us as it did our Master. 

Those who try to do good must look forward with 
patience to the day of judgment. " There is nothing 
covered that shall not be revealed, and hid that shall not 
be known." They must be content in this present world 
to be misunderstood, misrepresented, vilified, slandered, 
and abused. They must not cease to work because their 



MATTHEW, CHAP. X. 103 

motives are mistaken, and their characters fiercely- 
assailed. They must remember continually that all will 
be set right at the last day. The secrets of all hearts 
shall then be revealed. " He shall bring forth thy right- 
eousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noon- 
day." (Psal. xxxvii. 6.) The purity of their intentions, 
the wisdom of their labors, and the rightfulness of their 
cause, shall at length be made manifest to all the world. 
Let us work on steadily and quietly. Men may not un- 
derstand us, and may vehemently oppose us. But the 
day of judgment draws nigh. We shall be righted at 
last. The Lord, when He comes again, " will bring to 
light the hidden things of darkness, and will make mani- 
fest the counsels of the hearts, and then shall every man 
have praise of God." (1 Cor. iv. 5.) 

Those who try to do good must fear God more than 
man. Man can hurt the body, but there his enmity- 
must stop. He can go no further. God "is able to 
destroy both soul and body in hell." We may be 
threatened with the loss of character, property, and all 
that makes life enjoyable, if we go on in the path of re- 
ligious duty. We must not heed such threats, when 
our course is plain. Like Daniel and the three children, 
we must submit to anything rather than displease God, 
and wound our consciences. The anger of man may be 
hard to bear, but the anger of God is much harder. The 
fear of man does indeed bring a snare, but we must 
make it give way to the expulsive power of a stronger 
principle, even the fear of God. It was a fine saying 
of good Colonel Gardiner's, " I fear God, and therefore 
there is none else that I need fear." 



104 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

Those who try to do good must keep before their 
minds the providential care of God over them. Nothing 
can happen in this world without His permission. There 
is no such thing in reality as chance, accident, or luck. 
" The very hairs of their heads are all numbered." The 
path of duty may sometimes lead them into great danger. 
Health and life may seem to be perilled, if they go 
forward. Let them take comfort in the thought that all 
around them is in God's hand. Their bodies, their 
souls, their characters are all in His safe keeping. No 
disease can seize them— no hand can hurt them, unless 
He allows. They may say boldly to every fearful thing 
they meet with, "Thou couldest have no power at all 
against me, except it w T ere given thee from above." 

In the last place, those who try to do good should con- 
tinually remember the day when they will meet their 
Lord to receive their final portion. If they would have 
Him own them, and confess them before His Father's 
throne, they must not be ashamed to own and " confess 
Him" before the men of this world. To do it may cost 
us much. It may bring on us laughter, mockery, 
persecution, and scorn. But let us not be laughed out 
of heaven. Let us recollect the great and dreadful day 
of account, and not be afraid to show men that we love 
Christ, and want them to know and love Him also. 

Let these encouragements be treasured up in the 
hearts of all who labor in Christ's cause, whatever their 
position may be. The Lord knows their trials, and has 
spoken these things for their comfort. He cares for all 
His believing people, but for none so much as those who 
work for His cause, and try to do good. May we seek to 



MATTHEW, CHAP 



10.5 



be of that number. Every believer may do something if 
he tries. There is always something for every one to do. 
May we each have an eye to see it, and a will to do it. 



MATTHEW X. 34—42. 



34 Think not that I am come to 
send peace on eai'th : I came not to 
Bend peace, but a sword. 

35 For I am come to set a man at 
variance against his father, and the 
daughter against her mother, and the 
daughter in law against her mother 
in law. 

36 And a man's foes shall le they 
of his own household. 

37 He that loveth. father or mother 
more than me is not worthy of me : 
and he that loveth son or daughter 
more than me is not worthy of me. 

38 And he that taketh not his cross, 
and followeth after me, is not worthy 
of me. 



39 He that findeth his life shall 
lose it : and he that loseth his life for 
my sake shall find it. 

40 He that receiveth you receiveth 
me, and he that receiveth me receiveth 
him that sent me. 

41 He that receiveth a prophet in 
the name of a prophet shall receive a 
prophet's reward ; and he that receiv- 
eth a righteous man in the name of 
a righteous man shall receive a right- 
eous man's reward. 

__ 42 And whosoever shall give to 
drink unto one of these little ones a 
cup of cold water only in the name of 
a disciple, verily I say unto you, he 
shall in no wise lose his reward. 



In these verses the great Head of the Church winds up 
His first charge to those whom He sends forth to make 
known His Gospel. He declares three great truths, 
which form a fitting conclusion to the whole discourse. 

In the first place, He bids us remember that His Gos- 
pel will not cause peace and agreement wherever it comes. 
"I came not to send peace, but a sword." The object 
of His first coining on earth was not to set up a millen- 
nial kingdom in which all would be of one mind, but to 
bring in the Gospel, which would lead to strifes and 
divisions. We have no right to be surprised, if we see 
this continually fulfilled. We are not to think it strange, 
if the Gospel rends asunder families, and causes estrange- 
ment between the nearest relations. It is sure to do so 
in many cases, because of the deep corruption of man's 



106 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

heart. So long as one man believes, and another remains 
unbelieving — so long as one is resolved to keep his sins, 
and another desirous to give them up, the result of the 
preaching of the Gospel must needs be division. For 
this the Gospel is not to blame, but the heart of man. 

There is a deep truth in all this, which is constantly 
forgotten and overlooked. Many talk vaguely about 
unity, and harmony, and peace in the Church of Christ, 
as if they were things that we ought always to expect, 
and for the sake of which everything ought to be sacri- 
ficed. Such persons would do well to remember the words 
of our Lord. No doubt unity and peace are mighty bles- 
sings. We ought to seek them, pray for them, and give 
up everything in order to obtain them, excepting truth 
and a good conscience. But it is an idle dream to sup- 
pose that the churches of Christ will enjoy much of unity 
and peace before the millennium comes. 

In the second place, our Lord tells us that true Chris- 
tians must make up their minds to trouble in this ivorld. 
Whether we are ministers or hearers, whether we teach 
or are taught, it makes little difference. We must carry 
" a cross." We must be content to lose even life itself 
for Christ's sake. We must submit to the loss of man's 
favor, we must endure hardships, we must deny ourselves 
in many things, or we shall never reach heaven at last. 
So long as the world, the devil, and our own hearts, are 
what they are, these things must be so. 

We shall find it most useful to remember this lesson 
ourselves, and to impress it upon others. Few things do 
so much harm in religion as exaggerated expectations. 
People look for a degree of worldly comfort in Christ's 



MATTHEW, CHAP. X. 107 

service which they have no right to expect, and not find- 
ing what they look for, are tempted to give up religion 
in. disgust. Happy is he who thoroughly understands, 
that though Christianity holds out a crown in the end, it 
brings also a cross in the way. 

In the last place, our Lord cheers us by saying that 
the least service done to those who work in His cause is 
observed and rewarded of God. He that gives a believer 
so little as " a cup of cold water only in the name of a 
disciple shall in no wise lose his reward." 

There is something very beautiful in this promise. It 
teaches us that the eyes of the great Master are ever 
upon those who labor for him, and try to do good. 
They seem perhaps to work on unnoticed and unregarded. 
The proceedings of preachers, and missionaries, and 
teachers, and visitors of the poor, may appear very 
trifling and insignificant, compared to the movements of 
kings and parliaments, of armies and of statesmen. But 
they are not insignificant in the eyes of God. He takes 
notice who opposes His servants, and who helps them. 
He observes who is kind to them, asLydia was to Paul — 
and who throws difficulties in their way, as Diotrephes did 
to John. All their daily experience is recorded, as they 
labor on in His harvest. All is written down in the 
great book of His remembrance, and will be brought to 
light at the last clay. The chief butler forgat Joseph, 
when he was restored to his place. But the Lord Jesus 
never forgets any of His people. He will say to many 
who little expect it, in the resurrection morning, " I was 
an hungered, and ye gave me meat : I was thirsty, and 
ye gave me drink." (Matt. xxv. 35.) 



108 



EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 



Let us ask ourselves, as we close the chapter, in what 
light we regard Christ's work and Christ's cause in the 
world ? Are we helpers of it, or hinderers ? Do we 
in anywise aid the Lord's " prophets," and " righteous 
men ?" Do we assist His " little ones ?" Do we 
impede His laborers, or do we cheer them on ? — These 
are serious questions. They do well and wisely who give 
the " cup of cold water," whenever they have opportunity. 
They do better still who work actively in the Lord's 
vineyard. May we all strive to leave the world a better 
world than it was when we were born ! This is to have 
the mind of Christ. This is to find out the value of the 
lessons this wonderful chapter contains. 



MATTHEW XI. 1—15. 



1 And it came to pass, when Jesus 
had made an end of commanding his 
twelve disciples, he departed thence 
to teach and to preach in their cities. 

2 Now when John had heard in the 
prison the works of Christ, he sent 
two of his disciples, 

3 And said unto him, Art thou he 
that should come, or do we look for 
another ? 

4 Jesus answered and said unto 
them, Go and shew John again those 
things which ye do hear and see : 

5 The blind receive their sight, and 
the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, 
and the deaf hear, the dead are raised 
up, and the poor have the Gospel 
preached to them. 

6 And blessed is he, whosoever 
shall not be offended in me. 

7 And as they departed, Jesus be- 
gan to say unto the multitudes con- I 
cerning John, What went ye out into ! 
the wilderness to see ? A reed shaken j 
with the wind ? 

8 But what went yoti out for to see ? | 



A man clothed in soft raiment ? be- 
hold, they that wear soft clothing are 
in kings' houses. 

9 But what went ye out for to see ? 
A prophet ? yea, I say unto you, and 
more than a prophet. 

10 For this is he, of whom it is 
written, Behold, I send my messenger 
before thy face, which shall prepare 
thy way before thee. 

11 Verily I say unto you, Among 
them that are born of women there 
hath not risen a greater than John 
the Baptist ; notwithstanding he that 
is least in the kingdom of heaven is 
greater than he. 

12 And from the days of John the 
Baptist until now the kingdom of 
heaven suffereth violence, and the 
violent take it by force. 

13 For all the Prophets and the 
Law prophesied until John. 

14 And if ye will receive it, this is 
Elins, which was for to come. 

15 He that hath ears to hear, let 
him hear. 



The first thing that demands our attention in this pas- 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XI. 109 

sage, is the message which John the Baptist sends to our 
Lord Jesus Christ. He " sent two of his disciples, and 
said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we 
look for another ?" 

This question did not arise from doubt or unbelief on 
the part of John. We do that holy man injustice, if we 
interpret it in such a way. It was put for the benefit of 
his disciples. It was meant to give them an opportunity of 
hearing from Christ's own lips, the evidence of His 
divine mission. No doubt John the Baptist felt that his 
own ministry was ended. Something within him told 
him that he would never come forth from Herod's prison- 
house, but would surely die. He remembered the ignorant 
jealousies that had already been shown by his disciples 
towards the disciples of Christ. He took the most 
likely course to dispel those jealousies for ever. He sent 
his followers to " hear and see" for themselves. 

The conduct of John the Baptist in this matter 
affords a striking example to ministers, teachers, and 
parents, when they draw near the end of their course. 
Their chief concern should be about the souls of those 
they are going to leave behind them. Their great desire 
should be to persuade them to cleave to Christ. The 
death of those who have guided and instructed us on 
earth ought always to have this effect. It should make 
us lay hold more firmly on Him who dieth no more, 
" continueth ever," and " hath an unchangeable priest- 
hood." (Heb. vii. 24.) 

The second thing that demands our notice in this pas- 
sage, is the high testimony which our Lord bears to the 
character of John the Baptist. No mortal man ever 



110 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 



received such commendation as Jesus here bestows on 
His imprisoned friend. " Among them that are born of 
women, there hath not risen a greater than John the 
Baptist." In time past John had boldly confessed Jesus 
before men, as the Lamb of God. Now Jesus openly 
declares John to be more than a prophet. 

There were some, no doubt, who were disposed to think 
lightly of John Baptist, partly from ignorance of the 
nature of his ministry, partly from misunderstanding the 
question he had sent to ask. Oar Lord Jesus silences 
such cavillers by the declaration he here makes. He 
tells them not to suppose that John was a timid, vacillating, 
unstable man, " a reed shaken by the wind." If they 
thought so, they were utterly mistaken. He was a bold, 
unflinching witness to the truth. — He tells them not to 
suppose that John was at heart a worldly man, fond of 
king's courts, and delicate living. If they thought so, 
they greatly erred. He was a self-denying preacher of 
repentance, who would risk the anger of a king, rather 
than not reprove his sins. — In short, He would have 
them know that John was " more than a prophet." 
He was one to whom Gi-od had given more honor than 
to all the Old Testament prophets. They indeed pro- 
phecied of Christ, but died without seeing Him. John 
not only prophecied of Him, but saw Him face to face. 
— They foretold that the days of the Son of man would 
certainly come, and the Messiah appear. John was an 
actual eye-witness of those days, and an honored in- 
strument in preparing men for them. — To them it was 
given to predict that Messiah would be " led as a lamb to 
the slaughter," and " cut off." To John it was given to 



. 



Ill 

point to Him, and say, " Behold the Lamb of Grod which 
taketh away the sin of the world." 

There is something very beautiful and comforting to 
true Christians in this testimony which our Lord bears 
to John. It shows us the tender interest which our 
great Head feels in the lives and characters of all His 
members. It shows us what honor He is ready to put 
on all the work and labor that they go through in His 
cause. It is a sweet foretaste of the confession which 
He will make of them before the assembled world, when 
He presents them faultless at the last day before His 
Father's throne. 

Do we know what it is to work for Christ ? Have we 
ever felt cast down and dispirited, as if we were doing no 
good, and no one cared for us ? Are we ever tempted to 
feel, when laid aside by sickness, or withdrawn by provi- 
dence, " I have labored in vain, and spent my strength 
for nought ?" Let us meet such thoughts by the recollec- 
tion of this passage. Let us remember, there is One who 
daily records all we do for Him, and sees more beauty in 
His servants' work than His servants do themselves. 
The same tongue which bore testimony to John in prison, 
will bear testimony to all his people at the last day. He 
will say, " Come, ye blessed of my Father, receive the 
kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the 
world." And then shall His faithful witnesses discover, 
to their wonder and surprise, that there never was a 
word spoken on their Master's behalf, which does not 
receive a reward. 



112 



EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 



MATTHEW XI. 16—24. 



16 But whereunto shall I liken this 
generation ? It is like unto children 
sitting in the markets, and calling 
unto their fellows, 

17 And saying, We have piped unto 
you, and ye have not danced ; we have 
inourned unto you, and ye have not 
lamented. 

18 For John came neither eating 
nor drinking, and they say, He hath 
a devil. 

19 The Son of man came eating and 
drinking, and they say, Behold, a man 
gluttonous, and a wine bibber, a friend 
of Publicans and sinners. But wis- 
dom is justified of lier children. 

20 Then began he to upbraid the 
cities wherein most of his mighty 
works were done, because they re- 
pented not : 



21 Woe unto thee, Chorazin ! woe 
unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the 
mighty works, which were done in 
you, had been done in Tyre and Si- 
don, they would have repented long 
ago in sackcloth and ashes. 
"22 But I say unto you, It shall be 
more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at 
the day of judgment, than for you. 

23 And thou, Capernaum, which 
art exalted unto heaven, shalt be 
brought down to hell : for if the 
mighty works, which have been done 
in thee, had been done in Sodom, it 
would have remained until this day. 

24 But I say unto you, That * it 
shall be more tolerable for the land 
of Sodom in the day of judgment, 
than for thee. 



These sayings of the Lord Jesus were called forth by the 
state of the Jewish nation, when He was upon earth. 
But they speak loudly to us also, as well as to the Jews. 
They throw great light on some parts of the natural 
man's character. They teach us the perilous state of 
many immortal souls in the present day. 

The first part of these verses shows us the unreasonable- 
ness of many unconverted men in the things of religion. 

The Jews, in our Lord's time, found fault with every 
teacher whom God sent among them. First came John 
the Baptist preaching repentance — an austere man, a 
man who withdrew himself from society, and lived an 
ascetic life. Did this satisfy the Jews ? No ! They 
found fault and said, " He hath a devil." — Then came 
Jesus the Son of God, preaching the Gospel, living as other 
men lived, and practising none of John the Baptist's 
peculiar austerities. And did this satisfy the Jews ? 
No ! They found fault again, and said, " Behold a man 



113 

gluttonous and a wine-bibber, a friend of publicans and 
sinners." In short, they were as perverse and hard to 
please as wayward children. 

It is a mournful fact, that there are always thousands 
of professing Christians just as unreasonable as these 
Jews. They are equally perverse, and equally hard to 
please. Whatever we teach and preach, they find fault. 
Whatever be our manner of life, they are dissatisfied. 
Do we tell them of salvation by grace, and justification 
by faith ? At once they cry out against our doctrine as 
licentious and antinomiam. Do we tell them of the 
holiness which the Gospel requires ? At once they ex- 
claim, that we are too strict, and precise, and righteous 
overmuch. — Are we cheerful ? They accuse us of levity. 
— Are we grave ? They call us gloomy and sour. — Do 
we keep aloof from balls, and races, and plays ? They 
denounce us as puritanical, exclusive and narrow-minded. 
— Do we eat, and drink, and dress like other people, and 
attend to our worldly callings and go into society ? They 
sneeringly insinuate that they see no difference between 
us and those who make no religious profession at all, 
and that we are not better than other men. What is 
all this but the conduct of the Jews over again ? " We 
have piped unto you, and ye have not danced : we have 
mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented." He 
who spake these words knew the hearts of men. 

The plain truth is, that true believers must not expect 
unconverted men to be satisfied, either with their faith or 
their practice. If they do, they expect what they will 
not find. They must make up their minds to hear objec- 
tions, cavils, and excuses, however holy their own lives 



114 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

may be. Well says Quesnel, " Whatever measures good 
men take, they will never escape the censures of the 
world. The best way is not to be concerned at them." 
After all, what saith the Scripture ? " The carnal mind 
is enmity against God." " The natural man receive th 
not the things of the Spirit of God." (Rom. viii. 7. 1 
Cor. ii. 14.) This is the explanation of the whole matter. 

The second part of these verses shows us the exceeding 
wickedness of wilful impenitence. Our Lord declares 
that it shall be " more tolerable for Tyre, Sidon, and 
Sodom, in the day of judgment," than for those towns 
where people had heard His sermons, and seen His 
miracles, but not repented. 

There is something very solemn in this saying. Let 
us look at it well. Let us think for a momenta what 
dark, idolatrous, immoral, profligate places Tyre and 
Sidon must have been. Let us call to mind the unspeak- 
able wickedness of Sodom. Let us remember that the 
cities named by our Lord, Chorazin, Bethsaida, and 
Capernaum, were probably no worse than other Jewish 
towns, and at all events, were far better than Tyre, 
Sidon, and Sodom. And then let us observe, that the 
people of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum, are to 
be in the lowest hell, because they heard the Gospel, and 
yet did not repent — because they had great religious 
advantages, and did not use them. How awful this 
sounds ! 

Surely these words ought to make the ears of every one 
tingle, who hears the Gospel regularly, and yet remains 
unconverted. How great is the guilt of such a man 
before God ! How great the danger in which he daily 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XI. 115 

stands ? Moral, and decent, and respectable as his life 
may be, he is actually more guilty than an idolatrous 
Tyrian or Sidonian, or a miserable inhabitant of Sodom. 
They had no spiritual light : he has, and neglects it. — 
They heard no Gospel ; he hears, but does not obey 
it. — Their hearts might have been softened, if they had 
enjoyed his privileges. Tyre and Sidon " would have 
repented." Sodom " would have remained until this 
day." His heart under the full blaze of the Gospel re- 
mains hard and. unmoved. — There is but one painful 
conclusion to be drawn. His guilt will be found greater 
than their's at the last day. Most true is the remark of 
an English bishop, "Among all the aggravations of our 
sins, there is none more heinous than the frequent hear- 
ing of our duty." 

May we all think often about Chorazin, Bethsaida, 
and Capernaum ! Let us settle it in our minds that it 
will never do to be content with merely hearing and 
liking the Gospel. We must go further than this. 
We must actually " repent and be converted." We 
must actually lay hold on Christ, and become one with 
Him. Till then we are in awful danger. It will prove 
more tolerable to have lived in Tyre, Sidon, and Sodom, 
than to have heard the Gospel in England, and at last 
died unconverted. 



MATTHEW XI. 25—30. 



25 At that time Jesus answered 
and said, I thank thee, O Father, 
Lord of heav.en ac.d earth, because 
thou hast hid these things from the 
wise and prudent, and hast revealed 
them unto babes. 



26 Even so, Father : for so it seem- 
ed good in thy sight. 

27 All things are delivered unto 
me of my Father : and no man know- 
eth the Son, but the Father ; neither 
knoweth any man the Father, save 



116 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 



the Sou, and lie to whomsoever the 
Son will reveal Mm. 

28 Come unto me, all ye that lahor 
and are heavy laden, and I will give 
you rest. 

29 Take my yoke upon you, and 



leam of me ; for I am meek and lowly 
in heart ; and ye shall find rest unto 
your souls. 

SO For my yoke is easy, and my 
burden is light. 



There are few passages in the four Gospels more im- 
portant than this. There are few which contain, in so 
short a compass, so many precious truths. May God 
give us an eye to see, and a heart to feel their value ! 

Let us learn, in the first place, the excellence of acjiild- 
like and teacliablejrame of mind. Our Lord says to 
His Father, " Thou hast hid these tilings from the wise 
and prudent, and revealed them unto babes/' 

It is not for us to attempt to explain why some receive 
and believe the Gospel, while others do not. The 
sovereignty of God in this matter is a deep mystery : 
we cannot fathom it. But one thing, at all events, 
stands out in Scripture, as a great practical truth to be 
had in everlasting remembrance. Those from whom the 
Gospel is hidden are generally " the wise in their own 
eyes, and prudent in their own sight." Tho^e to whom 
the Gospel is revealed are generally humble, simple- 
minded, and willing to learn. The words of the Virgin 
Mary are continually being fulfilled, " He hath filled the 
hungry with good things, and the rich he hath sent 
empty away/' (Luke i. 53.) 

Let us watch against pride in every shape — pride of 
intellect, pride of wealth, pride in our own goodness, 
pride in our own deserts. Nothing is so likely to keep a 
man out of heaven, and prevent him seeing Christ, as 
pride. So long as we think we are something we shall 
never be saved. Let us pray for and cultivate humility. 



117 

Let us seek to know ourselves aright, and to find out our 
place in the sight of a holy God. The beginning of the 
way to heaven, is to feel that we are in the way to hell, 
and to be willing to be taught of the Spirit. One of the 
first steps in saving Christianity is to be able to say with 
Saul, u Lord, what wilt thou have rne to do ?" (Acts ix. 6.) 
There is hardly a sentence of our Lord's so frequently 
repeated as this, " He that hurnbleth himself shall be 
exalted." (Luke xviii. 14.) 

Let us learn, in the second place, from these verses, 
the greatness and majesty of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

The language of our Lord on this subject is deep and 
wonderful. He says, " All things are delivered unto me 
of my Father : and no man knoweth the Son save the 
Father, neither knoweth any man the Father save the 
Son, and he to whom the Son shall reveal him/' We 
may truly say, as we read these words, " Such knowledge 
is too wonderful for me ; it is high, I cannot attain to it." 
We see something of the perfect union which exists be- 
tween the first and second Persons of the Trinity. We 
see something of the immeasurable superiority of the 
Lord Jesus to all who are nothing more than men But 
still, when we have said all this, we must confess that 
there are heights and depths in this verse, which are be- 
yond our feeble comprehension. We can only admire 
them in the spirit of little children. But the half of 
them, we must feel, remains untold. 

Let us, however, draw from these words trie great 
practical truth, that all power and authority, in every- 
thing that concerns our soul's interests, is placed in our 
Lord Jesus Christ's hands. "All things are delivered unto 



118 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

him." He bears the keys : to Him we must go for ad- 
mission into heaven. He is the door : through Him we 
must enter. He is the Shepherd : we must hear His 
voice ; and follow Him, if we would not perish in the 
wilderness. He is the Physician : we must apply to 
Him, if we would be healed of the plague of sin. He is 
the bread of life : we must feed on Him, if we would 
have our souls satisfied. He is the light : we must walk 
after Hhn, if we would not winder in darkness. He is 
the fountain : we must wash in His blood, if we would 
be cleansed, and made ready for the great clay of account. 
Blessed and glorious are these truths ! If we have 
Christ, we have all things. (1 Cor. iii. 22.) 

Let us learn, in the last place, from this passage, the 
breadth and fulness of the invitations of Christ's Gospel. 

The last three verses of the chapter, which contain 
this lesson, are indeed precious. They meet the trembling 
sinner who asks, "Will Christ reveal His Father's love 
to such an one as me ?" with the most gracious encour- 
agement. They are verses which deserve to be read with 
special attention. For eighteen hundred years they have 
been a blessing to the world, and have done good to 
myriads of souls. There is not a sentence in them 
which does not contain a mine of thought. 

Mark who they are that Jesus invites. He does not 
address those who feel themselves righteous and worthy. 
He addresses " all that labor and are heavy laden." — It is 
a wide description. It comprises multitudes in this weary 
world. All who feel a load on their heart, of which they 
would fain get free, a load of sin or a load of sorrow, 
a load of anxiety or a load of remorse, — all, whosoever 



119 

they may be, and whatsoever their past lives — all such 
are invited to come to Christ. 

Mark what a gracious offer Jesus makes. " I will 
give you rest. — Ye shall find rest to your souls." How 
cheering and comfortable are these words ! Unrest is 
one great characteristic of the world. Hurry, vexation, 
failure, disappointment, stare us in the face on every 
side. Bat here is hope. There is an ark of refuge for 
the weary, as truly as there was for Noah's dove. There 
is rest in Christ, rest of conscience, and rest of heart, rest 
built on pardon of all sin, rest flowing from peace with 
God. 

Mark what a simple request Jesus makes to the labor- 
ing and heavy-laden ones. " Come unto me : — Take my 
yoke upon you, learn of me." He interposes no hard 
conditions. He speaks nothing of works to be done first, 
and deservingness of His gifts to be established. He only 
asks us to come to Him just as we are, with all our sins, 
and to submit ourselves like little children to His teaching. 
" Go not," He seems to say, " to man for relief. Wait 
not for help to arise from any other quarter. Just as you 
are, this very day, come to me." 

Mark what an encouraging account Jesus gives of 
Himself. He says, " I am meek and lowly of heart." 
How true that is, the experience of all the saints of God 
has often proved. Mary and Martha at Bethany, Peter 
after his fall, the disciples after the resurrection, Thomas 
after his cold unbelief, all tasted the " meekness and gen- 
tleness of Christ." It is the only place in Scripture where 
the " heart " of Christ is actually named. It is a saying 
never to be forgotten. 



120 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

Mark, lastly, the encouraging account that Jesus gives 
of His service. He says, " My yoke is easy, and my 
burden is light." No doubt there is a cross to be carried, 
if we follow Christ. No doubt there are trials to be en- 
dured, and battles to be fought. But the comforts of the 
Gospel far outweigh the cross. Compared to the service 
of the world and sin, compared to the yoke of Jewish 
ceremonies, and the bondage of human superstition, 
Christ's service is in the highest sense easy and light. 
His yoke is no more a burden than the feathers are to a 
bird. His commandments are not grievous. His ways 
are ways of pleasantness, and all his paths are peace. 
(1 John v. 3. Prov. iii. IT.) 

And now comes the solemn inquiry, Have we accepted 
this invitation for ourselves ? Have we no sins to be for- 
given, no griefs to be removed, no wounds of conscience 
to be healed ? If we have, let us hear Christ's voice. 
He speaks to us as well as to the Jews. He says, " Come 
unto me." — Here is the key to true happiness. Here is 
the secret of having a light heart. All turns and hinges 
on an acceptance of this offer of Christ. 

May we never be satisfied till we know and feel that 
we have come to Christ by faith for rest, and do still 
come to Him for fresh supplies of grace every day ! If 
we have come to Him already, let us learn to cleave to 
Him more closely. If we have never come to Him yet, 
let us begin to come to-day. His word shall never be 
broken : " Him that cometh unto me, I will in nowise 
cast out." (John vi. 37.) 



121 



MATTHEW XII. 1—13. 



1 At that time Jesus went on the 
sabbath day through the corn ; and 
his disciples were an hungered, and 
began to pluck the ears of corn, and 
to eat. 

2 But when the Pharisees saw it, 
they said unto him, Behold, thy dis- 
ciples do that which is not lawful to 
do upon the sabbath day. 

3 But he said unto them, Have ye 
not read what David did, when he 
was an hungered, and they that were 
with him ; 

4 How he entered into the house 
of God, and did eat the shewbread, 
which was not lawful for him to eat, 
neither for them which were with 
him, but only for the Priests ? 

5 Or have ye not read in the law, 
how that on the sabbath days the 
Priests in the temple profane the 
sabbath, and are blameless ? 

6 But I say unto you, That in this 
place is one greater than the temple. 

7 But if ve had known what this 



meaneth, I will have mercy, and not 
sacrifice, ye would not have condemn- 
ed the guiltless. 

8 For the Son of man is Lord even 
of the sabbath day. 

9 And when he was departed 
thence, he went into their synagogue : 

10 And, behold, there was a man 
which had his hand withered. And 
they asked him, saying, Is it lawful 
to heal on the sabbath days ? that they 
might accuse him. 

11 And he said unto them, What 
man shall there be among you, that 
shall have one sheep, and if it fall 
into a pit on the sabbath day, will he 
not lay hold on it, and lift it out ? 

12 How much then is a man better 
than a sheep ? Wherefore it is lawful 
to do well on the sabbath days. 

13 Then saith he to the man, 
Stretch forth thine hand. And ho 
stretched it forth ; and it was restored 
whole, like as the other. 



The one great subject which stands out prominently in 
this passage of Scripture, is the Sabbath day. It is a 
subject on which strange opinions prevailed among the 
Jews in our Lord's time. The Pharisees had added to 
the teaching of Scripture about it, and overlaid the true 
character of the day with the traditions of men. — It is a 
subject on which divers opinions have often been held in 
the Churches of Christ, and wide differences exist among 
men at the present time. Let us see what we may learn 
about it from our Lord's teaching in these verses. 

Let us, in the first place, settle it in our minds as an 
established principle, that our Lord Jesus Christ does 
not do aicay with the observance of a weekly Sabbath day. 
He neither does so here, nor elsewhere in the four Gos- 
pels. We often find His opinion expressed about the 
Jewish errors on the subject of the Sabbath. But we 

6 



122 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

do not find a word to teach us that His disciples were 
not to keep a Sabbath at all. 

It is of much importance to observe this. The mis- 
takes that have arisen from a superficial consideration of 
our Lord's sayings on the Sabbath question, are neither 
few nor small. Thousands have rushed to the hasty con- 
clusion, that Christians have nothing to do with the 
fourth commandment, and that it is no more binding on us 
than the Mosaic law about sacrifices. There is nothing 
in the New Testament to justify any such conclusion. 

The plain truth is, that our Lord did not abolish the 
law of the weekly Sabbath. He only freed it from incorrect 
interpretations, and purified it from man-made additions. 
He did not tear out of the decalogue the fourth command- 
ment. He only stripped off the miserable traditions with 
which the Pharisees had incrusted the day, and by which 
they had made it, not a blessing, but a burden. He left 
the fourth commandment where he found it, a part of the 
eternal law of God, of which no jot or tittle was ever to 
pass away. May we never forget this ! 

Let us, in the second place, settle it in our minds, that 
our Lord Jesus Christ allows all works of real necessity 
and mercy to be done on the Sabbath day. 

This is a principle which is abundantly established in 
the passage of Scripture we are now considering. We 
find our Lord justifying His disciples for plucking the 
ears of corn on a Sabbath. It was an act permitted in 
Scripture. (Deut.xxiii. 25.) They "were an hungered," 
and in need of food . Therefore they were not to blame. — 
We find Him maintaining the lawfulness of healing a sick 
man on the Sabbath day. The man was suffering from 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XII. 123 

disease and pain. In such a case it was no breach of 
God's commandment to afford relief. We ought never 
to rest from doing good. 

The arguments by which our Lord supports the lawful- 
ness of any work of necessity and mercy on the Sabbath, 
are striking and unanswerable. He reminds the Phari- 
sees, who charged Him and His disciples with breaking 
the law, how David and his men, for want of other 
food, had eaten the holy shew-bread oat of the taber- 
nacle. — He reminds them how the priests in the temple 
are obliged to do work on the Sabbath, by slaying ani- 
mals and offering sacrifices. — He reminds them how even 
a sheep would be helped out of a pit on the Sabbath, 
rather than allowed to suffer and die, by any one of them- 
selves. — Above all, He lays down the great principle, 
that no ordinance of God is to be pressed so far as to 
make us neglect the plain duties of charity. " I will 
have mercy and not sacrifice." The first table of the 
law is not to be so interpreted as to make us break the 
second. The fourth commandment is not to be so ex- 
plained, as to make us unkind and unmerciful to our 
neighbor. There is deep wisdom in all this. We are re- 
minded of the saying, " Never man spake like this man." 

In leaving the subject, let us beware that we are never 
tempted to take low views of the sanctity of the Chris- 
tian Sabbath. Let us take care that we do not make 
our gracious Lord's teaching an excuse for Sabbath 
profanation. Let us not abuse the liberty which He 
has so clearly marked out for us, and pretend that we 
do things on the Sabbath from " necessity and mercy/' 
which in reality we do for our own selfish gratification. 



124 



EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 



There is great reason for warning people on this 
point. The mistakes of the Pharisee about the Sabbath 
were in one direction. The mistakes of the Christian 
are in another. The Pharisee pretended to add to the 
holiness of the day. The Christian is too often disposed 
to take away from that holiness, and to keep the day in 
an idle, profane, irreverent manner. May we all watch 
our own conduct on this subject. Saving Christianity is 
closely bound up with Sabbath observance. May we 
never forget that our great aim should be to " keep the 
Sabbath holy." Works of necessity may be done. " It is 
lawful to do well/' and show mercy. But to give the 
Sabbath to idleness, pleasure-seeking, or the world, is 
utterly unlawful. It is contrary to the example of 
Christ, and a sin against a plain commandment of God. 



MATTHEW XII. 14—21. 



14 Then the Pharisees went out, 
and held a council against him, how 
they might destroy him. 

15 But when "Jesus knew it, he 
withdrew himself from thence : and 

great multitudes followed him, and 
e healed them all ; 

16 And he charged them that they 
should not make him known : 

17 That it might he fulfilled which 
wa? spoken hy Esaias the prophet, 
baying, 

18 vdb ?ld my servant, whom I have 



chosen : my "beloved, in whom my soul 
is well pleased : I will put my spirit 
upon him, and he shall shew judg- 
ment to the Gentiles. 

19 He shall not strive, nor cry; 
neither shall any man hear his voice 
in the streets. 

20 A hruised reed shall he not 
hreak, and smoking flax shall he not 
k quench, till he send forth judgment 

unto victory. 

21 And in his name shall the Gen- 
tiles trust. 



The first thing which demands our notice in this pas- 
sage, is the desperate tvickedness of the human heart, 
which it exemplifies. Silenced and defeated by our 
Lord's arguments, the Pharisees plunged deeper and 
deeper mto sin. They "went out and held a council 
against Lira how they might destroy him." 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XII. 125 

What evil had our Lord done, that He should be so 
treated? None,noneat all. No charge could be brought 
against His life : He was holy, harmless, undeflled, and 
separate from sinners, — His days were spent in doing 
good. No charge could be brought against His teaching : 
He had proved it to be agreeable to Scripture and reason, 
and no reply had been made to His proofs. But it 
mattered little how perfectly He lived or taught. He 
was hated. 

This is human nature appearing in its true colors. 
The unconverted heart hates God, and will show its hatred 
whenever it dares, and has a favorable opportunity. It 
will persecute God's witnesses. It will dislike all who have 
anything of God's mind, and are renewed after His 
image. Why were so many of the prophets killed ? 
Why were the names of the apostles cast out as evil by 
the Jews ? Why were the early martyrs slain ? Why 
were John Huss, and Jerome of Prague, and Eidley, 
and Latimer burned at the stake ? Not for any sins 
that they had sinned, — not for any wickedness they 
had committed. They all suffered because they were 
godly men. And human nature, unconverted, hates 
godly men, because it hates God. 

It must never surprise true Christians if they meet 
with the same treatment that the Lord Jesus met with. 
" Marvel not if the world hate you." (1 John iii. 13.) It is 
not the utmost consistency, or the closest walk with God^ 
that will exempt them from the enmity of the natural man. 
They need not torture their consciences by fancying that 
i£ they were only more faultless and consistent, every- 
body wcuH surely love them. It is all a mistake. 



126 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

They should remember, that there was never but one 
perfect man on earth, and that He was not loved, but 
hated. It is not the infirmities of a believer that the 
world dislike, but his goodness. It is not the remains 
of the old nature that call forth the world's enmity, 
but the exhibition of the new. Let us remember these 
things, and be patient. The world hated Christ, and 
the world will hate Christians. 

The second thing which demands our notice in this 
passage, is the encouraging description of our Lord Jesus 
Christ's character, which St. Matthew draws from the 
prophet Isaiah. "A bruised reed shall he not break, and 
smoking flax shall he not quench." 

What are we to understand by the bruised reed, and 
smoking flax ? The language of the prophet no doubt is 
figurative. What is it that these two expressions mean ? 
The simplest explanation seems to be, that the Holy 
Ghost is here describing persons whose grace is at present 
weak, whose repentance is feeble, and whose faith is 
small. Towards such persons the Lord Jesus Christ will 
be very tender and compassionate. Weak as the broken 
reed is, it shall not be broken. Small as the spark of 
fire may be within the smoking flax, it shall not be 
quenched. It is a standing truth in the kingdom of grace, 
that weak grace, weak faith, and weak repentance, are 
all precious in our Lord's sight. Mighty as He is, " He 
despiseth not any." (Job xxxvi. 5.) 

The doctrine here laid down is full of comfort and 
consolation. There are thousands in evey church of 
Christ to whom it ought to speak peace and hope. There 
are some in every congregation, that hears the Gospel, 



MATTHEW, CHAP. Xlf. 127 

who are ready to despair of tlieir own salvation, because 
their strength seems so small. They are full of fears and 
despondency, because their knowledge, and faith, and 
hope, and love, appear so dwarfish and diminutive. Let 
them drink comfort out of this text. Let them know 
that weak faith gives a man as real and true an interest 
in Christ as strong faith, though it may not give him the 
same joy. There is life in an infant as truly as in a 
grown up man. There is fire in a spark as truly as in a 
burning flame. The least degree of grace is an ever- 
lasting possession. It comes down from heaven. It is 
precious in our Lord's eyes. It shall never be over- 
thrown. 

Does Satan make light of "the beginnings of repentance 
towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ ? 
No ! indeed ! he does not. He has great wrath, because 
he sees his time is short. — Do the angels of God think 
lightly of the first signs of penitence and feeling after 
God in Christ ? No ! indeed ! " there is joy" among 
them, when they behold the sight. — Does the Lord Jesus 
regard no faith and repentance with interest, unless they 
are strong and mighty ? No ! indeed ! As soon as that 
bruised reed, Saul of Tarsus, begins to cry to Him, 
He sends Ananias to him, saying, " Behold he prayeth." 
(Acts ix. 11.) We err greatly if we do not encourage 
the very first movements of a soul towards Christ. Let 
the ignorant world scoff and mock, if it will. We may 
be sure that " bruised reeds" and " smoking flax" are 
very precious in our Lord's eyes. 

May we all lay these things to heart, and use them in 
time of need, both for ourselves and others. It should 



128 



EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 



be a standing maxim in our religion, that a spark is 
better than utter darkness, and little faith better than 
no faith at all. " "Who hath despised the day of small 
things ?■' (Zechar. iv. 10.) It is not despised by Christ. 
It ought not to be despised by Christians. 



MATTHEW XII. 22—37. 



22 Then was brought unto him one 

Sossessed with a devil, blind, and 
umb : and he healed him, insomuch 
that the blind and dumb both spake 
and saw. 

23 And all the people were amazed, 
and said, Is not this the Son of 
David % 

24 But when the Pharisees heard 
it, they said, This fellow doth not 
cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the 
prince of the devils. 

25 And Jesus knew their thoughts, 
and said unto them, Every kingdom 
divided against itself is brought to 
desolation; and every city or house 
divided against itself shall not stand: 

26 Andlf Satan cast out Satan, he 
is divided against himself; how shall 
then his kingdom stand ? 

27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out 
devils, by whom do your children cast 
them out ? therefore they shall be your 
judges. 

28 But if I cast out devils by the 
Spirit of God, then the kingdom of 
God is come unto you. 

29 Or else how can one enter into 
a strong man's house, and spoil his 
goods, except he first bind the strong 
man? and then he will spoil his 
house. 

80 He that is not with me is against 



me ; and he that gathereth not with 
me scattereth abroad. 

31 "Wherefore I say unto you, All 
manner of sin and blasphemy shall 
be forgiven unto men : but the blas- 
phemy agamst the Holy Ghost shall 
not be forgiven unto men. 

32 And whosoever speaketh a word 
against the Son of man, it shall be 
forgiven him : but whosoever speaketh 
against the Holy Ghost, it shall not 
be forgiven him, neither in this world, 
neither in the world to come. 

83 Either make the tree good, and 
his fruit good ; or else make the tree 
corrupt, and his fruit corrupt ; for the 
tree is known by Ms fruit. 

34 generation of vipers, how can 
ye, being evil, speak good things ? for 
out of the abundance of the heart the 
mouth speaketh. 

35 A good man out of the good 
treasure of the heart bringeth forth 
good things : and an evil man out of 
the evil treasure bringeth forth evil 
things. 

86 But I say unto you, That every 
idle word that men shall speak, they 
shall give account thereof in the day 
of judgment. 

37 For by thy words thou shalt be 
justified, and by thy words thou shalt 
be condemned. 



This passage of Scripture contains " things hard to be 
understood/' The sin against the Holy Ghost in particu- 
lar has never been fully explained by the most learned 
divines. It is not difficult to show from Scripture what 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XII. 129 

the sin is not. It is difficult to show clearly what it 
is. We must not be surprised. The Bible would not 
be the book of God, if it had not deep places here and 
there, which man has no line to fathom. Let us rather 
thank God that there are lessons of wisdom to be 
gathered, even out of these verses, which the unlearned 
may easily understand. 

Let us gather from them, in the first place, that there 
is nothing too blasphemous for hardened and prejudiced 
men to say against religion. Our Lord casts out a devil ; 
and at once the Pharisees declare that He does it "by 
the prince of the devils." 

This was an absurd charge. Our Lord shows that it 
was unreasonable to suppose that the devil would help to 
pull down his own kingdom, and " Satan cast out Satan." 
But there is nothing too absurd and unreasonable for 
men to say, when they are thoroughly set against religion. 
The Pharisees are not the only people who have lost 
sight of logic, good sense, and temper, when they have 
attacked the Gospel of Christ. 

Strange as this charge may sound, it is one that has 
often been made against the servants of God. Their 
enemies have been obliged to confess that they are doing 
a work, and producing an effect on the world. The 
results of Christian labor stare them in the face. They 
cannot deny them. What then shall they say ? They 
say the very thing that the Pharisees said of our Lord, 
" It is the devil." The early heretics used language of 
this kind about Athanasius. The Boman Catholics 
spread reports of this sort about Martin Luther. Such 
things will be said as long as the world stands. 



130 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

We must never be surprised to hear of dreadful 
charges being made against the best of men, without 
cause. " If they called the Master of the house Beelze- 
bub, how much more shall they call them of his house- 
hold ?" — It is an old device. When the Christian's 
arguments cannot be answered, and the Christian's works 
cannot be denied, the last resource of the wicked is to 
try to blacken the Christian's character. If this be 
our lot, let us bear it patiently. Having Christ and 
a good conscience, we may be content. False charges 
will not keep us out of heaven. Our character will be 
cleared at the last day. 

In the second place, let us gather out of these verses 
the impossibility of neutrality in religion. " He that is 
not with Christ is against him, and he that gathereth 
not with him scattereth abroad." 

There are many persons in every age of the Church, 
who need to have this lesson j)ressed upon them. They 
endeavor to steer a middle course in religion. They are 
not so bad as many sinners, but still they are not saints. 
They feel the truth of Christ's Gospel, when it is brought 
before them, but are afraid to confess what they feel. 
Because they have these feelings, they natter themselves 
they are not so bad as others. And yet they shrink 
from the standard of faith and practice which the Lord 
Jesus sets up. They are* not boldly on Christ's side, and 
yet they are not openly against Him. Our Lord warns 
all such that they are in a dangerous position. There 
are only two parties in religious matters. There are only 
two camps. There are only two sides. Are we with 
Christ, and working in His cause ? If not, we are against 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XII. 131 

Him. Are we doing good in the world ? If not, we are 
doing harm. 

The principle here laid down is one which it concerns 
us all to remember. Let us settle it in our minds, that 
we shall never have peace, and do good to others, unless 
we are thorough-going and decided in our Christianity. 
The waj of Gamaliel and Erasmus never yet brought 
happiness and usefulness to any one, and never will. 

In the third place, let us gather from these verses the 
exceeding sinfulness of sins against knoivledge. 

This is a practical conclusion which appears to flow 
naturally from our Lord's words about the blasphemy 
against the Holy Ghost. Difficult as these words un- 
doubtedly are, they seem fairly to prove that there are 
degrees in sin. Offences arising from ignorance of the 
true mission of the Son of Man, will not be punished so 
heavily as offences committed against the noontide light 
of the dispensation of the Holy Ghost. The brighter 
the light, the greater the guilt of him Who rejects it. 
The clearer a man's knowledge of the nature of the 
Gospel, the greater his sin, if he wilfully refuses to 
repent and believe. 

The doctrine here taught is one that does not stand 
alone in Scripture. St. Paul says to the Hebrews, " It is 
impossible for those who were once enlightened — if they 
shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance.'" 
" If we sin wilfully, after that we have received the 
knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacri- 
fice for sins, but a fearful looking for of judgment." Heb. 
vi. 4 — 7, and x. 26, 27.) It is a doctrine of which we 
find mournful proofs in every quarter. The unconverted 



132 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

children of godly parents, the unconverted servants of 
godly families, and the unconverted members of evangelical 
congregations are the hardest people on earth to impress. 
They seem pastfeeling. The same fire which melts the wax, 
hardens the clay — It is a doctrine, moreover, which re- 
ceives awful confirmation from the histories of some of 
those whose last ends were eminently hopeless. Pharaoh, 
and Saul, and Ahab, and Judas Iscariot, and Julian, 
and Francis Spira, are fearful illustrations of our Lord's 
meaning. In each of these cases there was a combination 
of clear knowledge and deliberate rejection of Christ. 
In each there was light in the head, but hatred of truth 
in the heart. And the end of each seems to have been 
blackness of darkness for ever. 

May God give us a will to use our knowledge, whether 
it be little or great ! May we beware of neglecting our 
opportunities, and leaving our privileges unimproved ! 
Have we light ? Then let us live fully up to our light. 
Do we know the truth ? Then let us walk in the truth. 
This is the best safeguard againt the unpardonable 
sin. 

In the last place, let us gather from these verses the 
immense importance of carefulness about our daily ivords. 
Our Lord tells us, that " for every idle word that men shall 
speak, they shall give account in the day of judgment." 
And He adds, " By thy words thou shalt be justified, and 
by thy words thou shalt be condemned/' 

There are few of our Lord's sayings which are so 
heart-searching as this. There is nothing, perhaps, to 
which most men pay less attention than their words. 
They go through their daily work, speaking and talking 



133 

without thought or reflection, and seem to fancy that if 
they do what is right, it matters but little what they say. 

But is it so ? Are our words so utterly trifling and 
unimportant ? We dare not say so, with such a passage 
of Scripture as this before our eyes. Our words are the 
evidence of the state of our hearts, as surely as the taste 
of the water is an evidence of the state of the spring. 
" Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speak - 
eth." The lips only utter what the mind conceives. 
Our words will form one subject of inquiry at the day of 
judgment. We shall have to give account of our sayings, 
as well as our doings. Truly these are very solemn con- 
siderations. If there were no other text in the Bible, 
this passage ought to convince us, that we are all " guilty 
before God/' and need a righteousness better than our 
own, even the righteousness of Christ. (Phil. iii. 9.) 

Let us be humble as we read this passage, in the 
recollection of time past. How many idle, foolish, vain, 
light, frivolous, sinful, and unprofitable things we have 

O 7 7 7 j. O 

all said ! How many words we have used, which, like 
thistle-down, have flown far and wide, and sown mischief 
in the hearts of others that will never die ! How often 
when we have met our friends, " our conversation " to 
use an old saint's expression, " has only made work for 
repentance." There is deep truth in the remark of 
Burkitt, " A profane scoff or atheistical jest may stick in 
the minds of those that hear it, after the tongue that 
spake it is dead. A word spoken is physically transient, 
but morally permanent." " Death and life," says Solomon, 
" are in the power of the tongue." (Prov. xviii. 21.) 
Let us be watchful as we read this passage about words, 



134 



EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 



when we look forward to our days yet to come. Let us 
resolve, by G-od's grace, to be more careful over our 
tongues, and more particular about our use of them. Let 
us pray daily that our " Speech may be always with 
grace." (Coloss. iv. 6.) Let us say every morning with 
holy David, " I will take heed to my ways, that I offend 
not in my tongue." Let us ciy with him to the Strong 
for strength, and say, " Set a watch over my mouth, and 
keep the door of my lips." Well indeed might St. James 
say, " If any man offend not in word, the same is a 
perfect man." (Psal. xxxix. 1, cxli. 3 ; James iii. 2.) 



MATTHEW XII. 38—50. 



38 Then certain of the Scribes and ! 
of the Pharisees answered, saying, j 
Master, we would see a sign from I 
thee. 

39 But he answered and said unto 
thein, An evil and adulterous genera- 
tion seeketh after a sign ; and there I 
shall no sign be given to it, but the \ 
sign of the prophet Jonas : 

40 For as Jonas was three days and | 
three nights in the whale's belly : so I 
shall the Son of man be three days | 
and three nights in the heart of the 
earth. 

41 The men of Nineveh shall rise 
in judgment with this generation, and 
shall condemn it : because they re- 
pented at the preaching of Jonas ; and, 
behold, a greater than Jonas is here. 

42 The queen of the south shall 
rise up in the judgment with this 
generation, and shall condemn it : for 
she came from the uttermost parts of 
the earth to hear the wisdom of Solo- 
mon : and, behold, a greater than 
Solomon is here. 

43 When the unclean spirit is gone 
out of a man, he walketh through dry 
places, seeking rest, and findeth none. 



44 Then he saith, I will return 
into my house from whence I came 
out ; and when he is come, he findeth 
it empty, swept, and garnished. 

45 Then goeth he, and taketh with 
himself seven other spirits more 
wicked than himself, and they enter 
in and dwell there : and the last state 
of that man is worse than the first. 
Even so shall it be also unto this 
wicked generation. 

46 While yet he talked to the people, 
behold, his mother and his brethren 
stood without, desiring to speak with 
him. 

47 Then one said unto him, Behold, 
thy mother and thy brethren stand 
without, desiring to' speak with thee. 

48 But he answered and said unto 
him that told him, Who is my mother ? 
and who are my brethren ? " 

49 And he stretched forth his hand 
toward his disciples, and said, Behold 
my mother and my brethren. 

50 For whosoever shall do the will 
of my Father which is in heaven, the 
same is my brother, and sister, and 
mother. 



The beginning of this passage is one of those places 



135 

which strikingly illustrate the truth of Old Testament 
History. Our Lord speaks of the queen of the South, 
as a real, true person, who had lived and died. He refers 
to the story of Jonah, and his miraculous preservation in 
the whale's belly, as undeniable matters of fact. Let us 
remember this, if we hear men professing to believe the 
writers of the New Testament, and yet sneering at the 
things recorded in the Old Testament, as if they were 
fables. Such men forget, that in so doing they pour con- 
tempt upon Christ Himself. The authority of the Old 
and New Testament stands or falls together. The same 
Spirit inspired men to write of Solomon and Jonah who 
inspired the Evangelists to write of Christ. These are 
not unimportant points in this day. Let them be well 
fixed in our minds. 

The first practical lesson which demands our attention 
in these verses, is the amazing poiver of unbelief. 

Mark how the Scribes and Pharisees call upon our 
Lord to show them more miracles. " Master, we would 
see a sign from thee." They pretended that they only 
wanted more evidence, in order to be convinced, and 
become disciples. They shut their eyes to the many 
wonderful works which Jesus had already done. It was 
not enough for them that He had healed the sick, and 
cleansed the lepers, raised the dead, and cast out devils. 
They were not yet persuaded. They yet demanded more 
proof. They would not see what our Lord plainly 
pointed at in His reply, that they had no real will to 
believe. There was evidence enough to convince them, 
but they had no wish to be convinced. 

There are many in the Church of Christ, who are 



136 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

exactly in the state of these Scribes and Pharisees. They 
natter themselves that they only require a little more 
proof to become decided Christians. They fancy that if 
their reason and intellect conld only be met with some 
additional arguments, they would at once give up all for 
Christ's sake, take up the cross, and follow Him. But 
in the mean time, they wait. Alas ! for their blindness. 
They will not see that there is abundance of evidence on 
every side of them. The truth is, that they do not want 
to be convinced. 

May we all be on our guard against the spirit of un- 
belief ! It is a growing evil in these latter days. Want 
of simple, childlike faith is an increasing feature of the 
times, in every rank of society. The true explanation of a 
hundred strange things that startle us in the conduct of 
leading men in churches and states, is downright want of 
faith. Men who do not believe all that God says in the 
Bible, must necessarily take a vacillating and undecided 
line on moral and religious questions. " If ye will not 
believe, surely ye shall not be established/' (Isaiah vii. 
9.) 

The second practical lesson which meets us in these 
verses is the immense danger of a partial and imperfect 
religious reformation. 

Mark what an awful picture our Lord draws of the 
man to whom the unclean spirit returns, after having once 
left him. How fearful are those words, "I will return 
into my house from whence I came out !" How vivid 
that description, " He findeth it empty, swept, and gar- 
nished \" How tremendous the conclusion, " he taketh 
with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, — 



xii. 13T 

and the last state of that man is worse than the first !" 
It is a picture most painfully full of meaning. Let us 
scan it closely, and learn wisdom. 

It is certain that we have in this picture the history of 
the Jewish church and nation, at the time of our Lord's 
coming. Called as they were at first out of Egypt to be 
God's peculiar people, they never seem to have wholly 
lost the tendency to worship idols. Redeemed as they 
afterwards were from the captivity of Babylon, they 
never seem to have rendered to God a due return for His 
goodness. Aroused as they had been by John the Bap- 
tist's preaching, their repentance appears to have been 
only skin-deep. At the time when our Lord spoke, they 
had become, as a nation, harder and more perverse than 
ever. The grossness of idol-worship had given place to 
the deadness of mere formality. Seven other spirits 
worse than the first, had taken possession of them. 
Their last state was rapidly becoming worse than the 
first. Yet forty years, and their iniquity came to the 
full. They madly plunged into a war with Home. 
Judaea became a very Babel of confusion. Jerusalem 
was taken. The temple was destroyed. The Jews were 
scattered over the face of the earth. 

Again, it is highly probable that we have in this pic- 
ture the history of the whole body of Christian churches. 
Delivered as they were from heathen darkness by the 
preaching of the Gospel, they have never really lived 
up to their light. Revived as many of them were at 
the time of the Protestant Reformation, they have 
none of them made a right use of their privileges, or 
" gone on to perfection." They have all more or less 



138 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

stopped short and settled on their lees. They have all 
been too ready to be satisfied with mere external amend- 
ments. And now there are painful symptoms in many 
quarters that the evil spirit has returned to his house, 
and is preparing an outbreak of infidelity, and false 
doctrine, such as the churches have never yet seen. 
Between unbelief in some quarters, and formal supersti- 
tion in others, everything seems ripe for some fearful 
manifestation of anti-christ. It may well be feared that 
the last state of the professing Christian churches will 
prove worse than the first. 

Saddest and worst of all, we have in this picture the 
history of many an individual's soul. There are men 
who seemed at one time of their lives to be under the 
influence of strong religious feelings. They reformed 
their ways. They laid aside many things that are bad. 
They took up many things that are good. But they 
stopped there, and went no further, and by and bye gave 
up religion altogether. The evil spirit returned to their 
hearts, and found them empty, swept, and garnished. 
They are now worse than they ever were before. Their 
consciences seem seared. Their sense of religious things 
appears entirely destroyed. They are like men given 
over to a reprobate mind. One would say it was " im- 
possible to renew them to repentance/' None prove so 
hopelessly wicked as those who, after experiencing strong 
religious convictions, have gone back again to sin and the 
world. 

If we love life, let us pray that these lessons may be 
deeply impressed on our minds. Let us never be content 
with a partial reformation of life, without thorough con- 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XII. 139 

version to God, and mortification of the whole body of 
sin. It is a good thing to strive to cast sin out of our 
hearts. But let us take care that we also receive the 
grace of God in its place. Let us make sure that we 
not only get rid of the old tenant, the devil, but have 
also got dwelling in us the Holy Ghost. 

The last practical lesson which meets us in these 
verses is the tender affection with which the Lord Jesus 
regards His true disciples. 

Mark how He speaks of every one who does the will 
of His Father in heaven. He says, "the same is my 
brother, and sister, and mother." What gracious words 
these are ! Who can conceive the depth of our dear 
Lord's love towards His relations according to the flesh ? 
It was a pure, unselfish love. It must have been a 
mighty love, a love that passes man's understanding. 
Yet here we see that all His believing people are counted 
as His relations. He loves them, feels for them, cares 
for them, as members of His family, bone of His bone, 
and flesh of His flesh. 

There is a solemn warning here to all who mock and 
persecute true Christians on account of their religion. 
They consider not what they are doing. They are per- 
secuting the near relations of the King of kings. They 
will find at the last day that they have mocked those 
whom the Judge of all regards as " His brother, and 
sister, and mother." 

There is rich encouragement here for all believers. 
They are far more precious in their Lord's eyes than 
they are in their own. Their faith may be feeble, their 
repentance weak, their strength small. They may be 



140 



EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 



poor and needy in this world. But there is a glorious 
" whosoever" in the last verse of this chapter which 
ought to cheer them. " Whosoever" believes is a near 
relation of Christ. The elder Brother will provide for 
hirn in time and eternity, and never let him be cast 
away. There is not one "little sister" in the family 
of the redeemed, whom Jesus does not remember. 
(Cant. viii. 8.) Joseph provided richly for all his rela- 
tions, and Jesus will provide for His. 



MATTHEW XIII. 1—23. 



1 The same day went Jesus out of 
the house, and sat by the sea side. 

2 And great multitudes were gath- 
ered together unto him, so that he 
went into a ship, and sat; and the 
whole multitude stood on the shore. 

3 And he spake many things unto 
them in parables, saying, Behold, a 
sower went forth to sow : 

4 And when he sowed, some seeds 
fell by the way side, and the fowls 
came and devoured them np : 

5 Some fell upon stony places, 
where they' had not much earth : and 
forthwith they sprung up, because 
they had no deepness of earth ; 

6 And when the sun was up, they 
were scorched ; and because they had 
no root, they withered away. 

7 And some fell among thorns ; and 
the thorns sprung up, and choked 
them : 

8 But other fell into good ground, 
and brought forth fruit, some an 
hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some 
thirtyfold. 

9 Who hath ears to hear let him 
hear. 

10 And the disciples came, and said 
unto him, Why speakest thou unto 
them in parables ? 

11 He answered and said unto 
them, Because it is given unto you to 
know the mysteries of the kingdom of 
heaven, but to them it is not given. 



12 For whosoever hath, to him 
shall be given, and he shall have more 
abundance : but whosoever hath not, 
from him shall be taken away even 
that he hath. 

13 Therefore speak I to them in 
parables : because they seeing see not ; 
and hearing they hear not, neither do 
they understand. 

14 And in them is fulfilled the 
prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By 
hearing "ye shall hear, and shall not 
understand ; and seeing ye shall see, 
and shall not perceive : 

15 Eor this people's heart is waxed 
gross, and their ears are dull of hear- 
ing, and their eyes they have closed ; 
lest at any time they should see with 
their eyes, and hear with their ears, 
and should understand with their 
heart, and should be converted, and 
I should heal them. 

16 But blessed are your eyes, for 
they see : and your ears, for they hear. 

17 Eor verily I say unto you, That 
many prophets and righteous men 
have desired to see those things which 
ye see, and have not seen them ; and 
to hear those things which ye hear, 
and have not heard them. 

18 Hear ye therefore the parable of 
the sower. 

19 When any one heareth the word 
of the kingdom, and understandeth it 
not, then cometh the wicked one, and 



MATTHEW. CHAP. XIII. 



141 



catcheth away that which was sown 
in his heart. This is he which re- 
ceived seed by the way side. 

20 But he that received the seed 
into stony places, the same is he that 
heareth the word, and anon with joy 
receiveth it ; 

21 Yet hath he not root in himself, 
but dureth for a while; for when 
tribulation or persecution ariseth be- 
cause of the word, by and by he is 
offended. 



22 He also that received seed among 
the thorns is he that heareth the word ; 
and the care of this world, and the 
deceitfulness of riches, choke the 
word, and he becometh unfruitful. 

23 But he that received seed into 
the good ground is he that heareth 
the word, and understandeth it ; which 
also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, 
some an hundredfold, some sixty, 
some thirty. 



The chapter which these verses begin is remarkable for 
the number of parables which it contains. Seven striking 
illustrations of spiritual truth are here drawn by the great 
Head of the Church from the book of nature. By so doing 
He shows us that religious teaching may draw helps from 
everything in creation. Those that would " find out ac- 
ceptable words/' should not forget this. (Eccles. xii. 10.) 

The parable of the sower, which begins this chapter, 
is one of those parables which admit of a very wide appli- 
cation. It is being continually verified under our own eyes. 
Wherever the word of God is preached or expounded, 
and people are assembled to hear it, the sayings of our 
Lord in this parable are found to be true. It describes 
what goes on, as a general rule, in all congregations. 

Let us learn, in the first place, from this parable, that 
the tvork of the preacher resembles that of the soiver. 

Like the sower, the preacher must sow good seed, if 
he wants to see fruit. He must sow the pure word of 
God, and not the traditions of the church, or the doc- 
trines of men. Without this his labor will be in vain. 
He may go to and fro, and seem to say much, and to 
work much in his weekly round of ministerial duty. But 
there will be no harvest of souls for heaven, no living 
results, and no conversions. 



142 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

Like the sower,, the preacher must be diligent. He 
must spare no pains. He must use every possible means 
to make his work prosper. He must patiently " sow be- 
side all waters," and " sow in hope." He must be " in- 
stant in season and out of season." He must not be 
deterred by difficulties and discouragements. " He that 
observeth the wind shall not sow." No doubt his success 
does not entirely depend upon his labor and diligence. 
But without labor and diligence success will seldom be 
obtained. (Isai. xxxii. 20. 2 Tim. iv. 2. Eccles. xi. 4.) 

Like the sower, the preacher cannot give life. He can 
scatter the seed committed to his charge, but cannot 
command it to grow. He may offer the word of truth 
to a people, but he cannot make them receive it and bear 
fruit. To give life is God's sovereign prerogative. " It 
is the Spirit that quickeneth." God alone can " give 
the increase." (John vi. 63. 1 Cor. hi. 7.) 

Let these things sink down into our hearts. It is no 
light thing to be a real minister of God's Word. To be 
an idle, formal workman in the Church is an easy busi- 
ness. To be a faithful sower is very hard. Preachers 
ought to be specially remembered in our prayers. 

In the next place, let us learn from this passage, that 
there are various ways of hearing the word of God 
ivithout benefit. 

We may listen to a sermon with a heart like the hard 
' ' way side," careless, thoughtless, and unconcerned. Christ 
crucified may be affectionately set before us, and we may 
hear of His sufferings with utter indifference, as a subject 
in which we have no interest. Fast as the words fall on 
our ears, the devil may pluck them away, and we may 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XIII. 143 

go home as if we had not heard a sermon at all. Alas ! 
there are many such hearers ! It is as true of them as 
of the idols of old, " eyes have they, but they see not ; 
they have ears, but they hear not/' (Psal. cxxxv. 16, 17.) 
Truth seems to have no more effect on their hearts than 
water on a stone. 

We may listen to a sermon with pleasure, while the 
impression produced on us is only temporary and short- 
lived. Our hearts, like the " stony ground," may yield a 
plentiful crop of warm feelings and good resolutions. 
But all this time there may be no deeply-rooted work in 
our souls, and the first cold blast of opposition or tempta- 
tion may cause our seeming religion to wither away. 
Alas ! there are many such hearers ! The mere love of 
sermons is no sign of grace. Thousands of baptized 
people are like the Jews of Ezekiel's day : " Thou art 
unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a 
pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument : for 
they hear thy words, but they do them not." (Ezek. 
xxxiii. 32.) 

We may listen to a sermon, and approve of every 
word it contains, and yet get no good from it, in conse- 
quence of the absorbing influence of this world. Our 
hearts, like the " thorny ground," may be choked with a 
rank crop of cares, pleasures, and worldly plans. We 
may really like the Gospel, and wish to obey it, and yet 
insensibly give it no chance of bearing fruit, by allowing 
other things to fill a place in our affections, and in- 
sensibly to fill our whole hearts. Alas ! there are many 
such hearers ! They know the truth well. They hope 
one day to be decided Christians. But they never come 



144 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

to the point of giving up all for Christ's sake. They 
never make up their minds to " seek first the kingdom 
of God," — and so die in their sins. 

These are points that we ought to weigh well. We 
should never forget that there are more ways than one oi 
hearing the word without profit. It is not enough that 
we come to hear. We may come, and be careless. — It is 
not enough that we are not careless hearers. Our 
impressions may be only temporary, and ready to perish. 
— It is not enough that our impressions are not merely 
temporary. Bat they may be continually yielding no 
result, in consequence of our obstinate cleaving to the 
world. — Truly " the heart is deceitful above all things, 
and desperately wicked : who can know it ?" (Jerem. 
xvii. 9.) 

In the last place, let us learn from this parable, that 
there is only one evidence of hearing the word rightly. 
That evidence is to bear fruit. 

The fruit here spoken of is the fruit of the Spirit. 
Eepentance towards God, faith towards the Lord Jesus 
Christ, holiness of life and character, prayerfulness, hu- 
mility, charity, spiritual-mindedness — these are the only 
satisfactory proofs that the seed of God's word is doing 
its proper work in our souls. Without such proofs, our 
religion is vain, however high our profession. It is no 
better than sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal. Christ 
has said, " I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye 
should go and bring forth fruit." (John xv. 16.) 

There is no part of the whole parable more important 
than this. We must never be content with a barren 
orthodoxy, and a cold maintenance of correct theological 



145 

views. We must not be satisfied with clear knowledge, 
warm feelings, and a decent profession. We must see to 
it that the G-ospel we profess to love, produces positive 
" fruit" in our hearts and lives. This is real Christianity. 
Those words of St. James should often ring in our ears, 
" Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiv- 
ing your own selves." (James i. 22.) 

Let us not leave these verses without putting to our- 
selves the important question, " How do we hear ?" 
We live in a Christian country. We go to a place of 
worship Sunday after Sunday, and hear sermons. In 
what spirit do we hear them ? What effect have they 
upon our characters ? Can we point to anything that 
deserves the name of " fruit ?" 

We may rest assured that to reach heaven at last, it 
needs something more than to go to Church regularly on 
Sundays, and listen to preachers. The word of God 
must be received into our hearts, and become the 
mainspring of our conduct. It must produce practical 
impressions on our inward man, that shall appear in our 
outward behavior. If it does not do this, it will only 
add to our condemnation in the day of judgment. 



MATTHEW XIII. 24—43. 



24 Another parable put he forth 
unto them, saying, The kingdom of 
heaven is likened unto a man which 
sowed good seed in his field ; 

25 But while men slept, his enemy 
came and sowed tares among the 
wheat, and went his way. 

26 But when the blade was sprung 
up, and brought forth fruit, then ap- 
peared the tares also. 



27 So the servants of the household- 
er came and said unto him, Sir, didst 
not thou sow good seed in thy field ? 
from whence then hath it tares ? 

28 He said unto them, An enemy 
hath done this. The servants said 
unto him, Wilt thou then that we go 
and gather them up ? 

29 But he said, Nay ; lest while ye 



146 



EXrOSITORY THOUGHTS, 



gather up the tares, ye root up also 
the wheat with them. 

30 Let Loth grow together until the 
harvest: and in the time of harvest I 
will say to the reapers, Gather ye 
together first the tares, and bind them 
in bundles to burn them : but gather 
the wheat into my barn. 

31 Another parable put he forth 
unto them, saying, The kingdom of 
heaven is like to a grain of mustard 
seed ; which a man took, and sowed 
in his field : 

32 Which indeed is the least of all 
seeds t but when it is grown, it is the 
greatest among herbs, and becometh 
a tree, so that the birds of the air 
come and lodge in the branches 
thereof. 

33 Another parable spake he unto 
them : The kingdom of heaven is like 
unto leaven, which a woman took, 
and hid in three measures of meal, 
till the whole was leavened. 

34 All these things spake Jesus 
unto the multitude in parables ; and 
without a parable spake he not unto 
them : 

35 That it might he fulfilled which 
was spoken by the prophet, saving, I 
will open my mouth in parables ; I 
will utter things which have been 



kept secret from the foundation of 
the world. 

36 Then Jesus sent the multitude 
away, and went into the house : and 
his disciples came unto him, saying, 
Declare unto us the parable of the 
tares of the field. 

37 He answered and said unto 
them, He that soweth the good seed 
is the Son of man ; 

38 The field is the world* the good 
seed are the children of the kingdom ; 
but the tares are the children of the 
wicked one ; 

39 The enemy that sowed them is 
the devil ; the harvest is the end of 
the world ; and the reapers are the 
angels. 

40 As therefore the tares are gath- 
ered and burned in the fire • so shall 
it be in the end of this world. 

41 The Son of man shall send forth 
his angels, and they shall gather out 
of his kingdom all things that offend, 
and them "which do iniquity ; ' 

42 And shall cast them into a fur- 
nace of fire : there shall be wailing 
and gnashing of teeth. 

43 Then shall the righteous shine 
forth as the sun in the kingdom of 
their Father. Who hath ears to hear, 
let him hear. 



The parable of the wheat and tares, which occupies the 
chief part of these verses, is one of peculiar importance 
in the present day.* It is eminently calculated to correct 
the extravagant expectations in which many Christians 
indulge, as to the effect of missions abroad, and of preach- 
ing the Gospel at home. May we give it the attention 
which it deserves ! 

In the first j)lace, this parable teaches us, that good 
and evil ivill always be found together in the prof essing 
Church, until the end of the ivorld. 

The visible Church is set before us as a mixed body. 



* The consideration of tho parables of the mustard seed and the leaves 

is purposely deferred till a future part of the Exposition- 



147 

It is a vast " field" in which " wheat and tares" grow side 
by side. We must expect to find believers and unbelievers, 
converted and unconverted, " the children of the king- 
dom, and the children of the wicked one/' all mingled 
together in every congregation of baptized people. 

The purest preaching of the Grospel will not prevent 
this. In every age of the Church, the same state of 
things has existed. It was the experience of the early 
Fathers. It was the experience of the Keformers. It is 
the experience of the best ministers at the present hour. 
There has never been a visible Church or a religious 
assembly, of which the members have been all " wheat." 
The devil, that great enemy of souls, has always taken 
care to sow " tares." 

The most strict and prudent discipline will not prevent 
this. Episcopalians, Presbyterians, and Independents, 
all alike find it to be so. Do what we will to purify a 
church, we shall never succeed in obtaining a perfectly 
pure communion. Tares will be found among the wheat. 
Hypocrites and deceivers will creep in. And, worst of 
all, if we are extreme in our efforts to obtain purity, we 
do more harm than good. We run the risk of encourag- 
ing many a Judas Iscariot, and breaking many a bruised 
reed. In our zeal to " gather up the tares," we are in 
danger of " rooting up the wheat with them." Such zeal 
is not according to knowledge, and has often done much 
harm. Those who care not what happens to the wheat, 
provided they can root up the tares, show little of the 
mind of Christ. And after all there is deep truth in the 
charitable saying of Augustine, " Those who are tares 
to-day, may be wheat to-morrow." 



148 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

Are we inclined to look for the conversion of the whole 
world by the labors of missionaries and ministers ? Let 
us place this parable before us, and beware of such an 
idea. We shall never see all the inhabitants of earth 
the wheat of God, in the present order of things. The 
tares and wheat will "grow together till the harvest." 
The kingdoms of this world will never become the king- 
dom of Christ, and the millennium begin, until the King 
Himself returns. 

Are we ever tried by the scoffing argument of the 
infidel, that Christianity can not be a true religion, 
when there are so many false Christians ? Let us call to 
mind this parable, and remain unmoved. Let us tell the 
infidel, that the state of things he scoffs at does not sur- 
prise us at all. Our Master prepared us for it 1800 
years ago. He foresaw and foretold, that His Church 
would be a field, containing not only wheat, but tares. 

Are we ever tempted to leave one Protestant Church 
for another, because we see many of its members uncon- 
verted ? Let us remember this parable, and take heed 
what we do. We shall never find a perfect Church. We 
may spend our lives in migrating from communion to 
communion, and pass our days in perpetual disappoint- 
ment. Go where we will, and worship where we may, 
we shall always find tares. 

In the second place the parable teaches us, that there 
is to be a day of separation between the godly and un- 
godly members of the visible Church, at theendofthe world. 

The present mixed state of things is not to be for ever. 
The wheat and the tares are to be divided at last. The 
Lord Jesus shall " send forth his angels" in the day of 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XIII. 149 

His second advent, and gather all professing Christians 
into two great companies. Those mighty reapers shall 
make no mistake. They shall discern with unerring 
judgment between the righteous and the wicked, and 
place every one in his own lot. The saints and faithful 
servants of Christ shall receive glory, honor, and eternal 
life. The worldly, the ungodly, the careless, and the 
unconverted shall be " cast into a furnace of fire," and 
receive shame and everlasting contempt. 

There is something peculiarly solemn in this part 
of the parable. The meaning of it admits of no mistake. 
Our Lord Himself explains it in words of singular clear- 
ness, as if He w T ould impress it deeply on our minds. 
Well may He say at the conclusion, " Who hath ears 
to hear, let him hear." 

Let the ungodly man tremble when he reads this 
parable. Let him see in its fearful language his own 
certain doom, unless he repents and is converted. Let 
him know that he is sowing misery for himself, if he goes 
on still in his neglect of Gocl. Let him reflect that his 
end will be to be gathered among the " bundles" of tares, 
and be burned. Surely such a prospect ought to make 
a man think. As Baxter truly says, " We must not mis- 
interpret God's patience with the ungodly/'' 

Let the believer in Christ take comfort when he reads 
this parable. Let him see that there is happiness and 
safety prepared for him in the great and dreadful day of 
the Lord. The voice of the archangel and the trump of 
God will proclaim no terror for him. They will summon 
him to join what he has long desired to see, a- perfect 
Church and a perfect communion of saints. How beauti- 



150 



EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 



fui will the whole body of believers appear, when finally 
separated from the wicked ! How fine will the wheat 
look in the garner of God, when the tares are at length 
taken away ! How brightly will grace shine, when no 
longer dimmed by incessant contact with the worldly and 
unconverted ! The righteous are little known in the 
present day. The world sees no beauty in them, even as 
it saw none in their Master. " The world knoweth us not, 
because it knew him not/' (1 John iii. 1.) But the 
righteous shall one day " shine forth as the sun in the 
kingdom of their Father/' To use the words of Matthew 
Henry, " their sanctification will be perfected, and their 
justification will be published/' " When Christ who is 
our life shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him 
in glory." (Coloss. iii. 4.) 



MATTHEW XIII. 44—50. 



44 Again, the kingdom of heaven 
is like unto treasure hid in a field ; 
the which when a man hath found, 
he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth 
and selleth all that he hath, and buy- 
eth that field. 

45 Again, the kingdom of heaven 
is like unto a merchant man, seeking 
goodly pearls : 

46 Who, when he had found one 
pearl of great price, went and sold all 
that he had, and bought it. 

47 Again, the kingdom of heaven 



is like unto a net, that was cast into 
the sea, and gathered of every kind : 

48 Which, when it was full, they 
dre*v to shore, and sat down, and. 
gathered the good into vessels, but 
cast the bad away. 

49 So shall it be in the end of the 
world : the angels shall come forth, 
and sever the wicked from among the 
just, 

50 And shall cast them into the 
furnace of fire : there shall be wailing 
and gnashing of teeth. 



The parable of the " treasures hid in a field," and the 
" merchant man seeking goodly pearls/' appear intended 
to convey one and the same lesson. They vary, no 
doubt, in one striking particular. The " treasure" was 
found of one who does not seem to have sought it. The 



xiii. 151 

" pearl" was found of one who was actually seeking pearls. 
But the conduct of the finders, in both cases, was pre- 
cisely alike. Both " sold all" to make the thing found 
their own property. And it is exactly at this point that 
the instruction of both parables agrees. 

These two parables are meant to teach us, that men 
really convinced of the importance of salvation, ivill give 
up everything to ivin Christ, and eternal life. 

What was the conduct of the two men our Lord de- 
scribes ? The one was persuaded that there was a "treasure 
hid in a field," which would amply repay him, if he 
bought the field, however great the price that he might 
give. The other was persuaded that the " pearl" he had 
found was so immensely valuable, that it would answer 
to him to purchase it at any cost. Both were convinced 
that they had found a thing of great value. Both were 
satisfied that it was worth a great present sacrifice to 
make this thing their own. Others might wonder at them. 
Others might think them foolish for paying such a sum 
of money for the field and pearl. But they knew what 
they were about. They were sure that they were making 
a good bargain. 

Behold in this single picture, the conduct of a true 
Christian explained ! He is what he is, and does what 
he does in his religion, because he is thoroughly per- 
suaded that it is worth while. He comes out from the 
world. He puts off the old man. He forsakes the vain 
companions of his past life. Like Matthew, he gives 
up everything, and, like Paul, he "counts all things 
loss" for Christ's sake. And why ? Because he is con- 
vinced that Christ will make amends to him for all he 



152 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS, 

gives up. He sees in Christ an endless " treasure." He 
sees in Christ a precious " pearl." To win Christ he will 
make any sacrifice. This is true faith. This is the 
stamp of a genuine work of the Holy Ghost. 

Behold in these two parables the real clue to the con- 
duct of many unconverted people ! They are what they 
are in religion, because they are not fully persuaded that 
it is worth while to be different. They flinch from de- 
cision. They shrink from taking up the cross. They 
halt between two opinions. They will not commit them- 
selves. They will not come forward boldly on the Lord's 
side. — And why ? Because they are not convinced that 
it will answer. They are not sure that " the treasure" is 
before them. They are not satisfied that u the pearl" is 
worth so great a price. They cannot yet make up their 
minds to " sell all," that they may win Christ. And so 
too often they perish everlastingly ! When a man will 
venture nothing for Christ's sake, we must draw the 
sorrowful conclusion that he has not got the grace of God. 

The parable of the net let clown into the sea, has 
some points in common with that of the wheat and the 
tares. It is intended to instruct us on a most important 
subject, the true nature of the visible Church of Christ. 

The preaching of the Gospel was the letting down of 
a large net into the midst of the sea of this world. 
The professing church which it was to gather together, 
was to be a mixed body. Within the folds of the net, 
there were to be fish of every kind, both good and bad. 
Within the pale of the Church there were to be 
Christians of various sorts, unconverted as well as con- 
verted, false as well as true. The separation of good and 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XIII. 153 

bad was sure to come at last, but not before the end of 
the world. Such was the account which the great 
Master gave to His disciples of the churches which they 
were to found. 

It is of the utmost importance to have the lessons of 
this parable deeply graven on our minds. There is 
hardly any point in Christianity on which greater mis- 
takes exist, than the nature of the visible Church. 
There is none, perhaps, on which mistakes are so peril- 
ous to the soul. 

Let us learn from this parable, that all congregations 
of professed Christians ought to be regarded as mixed 
bodies. They are all assemblies containing " good fish 
and bad," converted and unconverted, children of God 
and children of the world, and ought to be described and 
addressed as such. To tell all baptized people, that they 
are born again, and have the Spirit, and are members of 
Christ, and are holy, in the face of such a parable as this, 
is utterly unwarrantable. Such a mode of address may 
natter and please. It is not likely to profit or save. It 
is painfully calculated to promote self-righteousness, and 
lull sinners to sleep. It overthrows the plain teaching 
of Christ, and is ruinous to souls. Do we ever hear such 
doctrine ? If we do, let us remember " the net." 

Finally, let it be a settled principle with us, never to 
be satisfied with mere outward church-membership. We 
may be inside the net, and yet not be in Christ. The 
waters of baptism are poured on myriads who are never 
washed in the water of life. The bread and wine are 
eaten and drunk by thousands at the Lord's table, who 
never feed on Christ by faith. Are we converted ? Are 



154 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

we among the "good fish ?" This is the grand question. 
It is one which must be answered at last. The net will 
soon be " drawn to shore." The true character of every 
man's religion will at length be exposed. There will be 
an eternal separation between the good fish and the bad. 
There will be a " furnace of fire" for the wicked. Surely, 
as Baxter says, " these plain words more need belief and 
coDsideration than exposition." 



MATTHEW XIII. 51—58. 

51 Jesus saith unto them, Have ye j this man this wisdoni, and these 
understood all these things ? They ! mighty works ? 

say unto him, Yea, Lord. ' 55 Is not this the carpenter's son ? 

52 Then said he unto them, There- i is not his mother called Mary ? and 
fore every Scribe which is instructed I his brethren, James, and Joses, and 

Simon, and Judas ? 

56 And his sisters, are they not all 
With us ? Whence then hath this man 
all these things ? 

57 And they were offended in him. 
But Jesus said unto them, A prophet 
is not without honor, save in his own 
country, and in his own house. 

58 And he did not many mighty 
works there because of their unbelief. 



unto the kingdom of heaven is like 
unto a man that is an householder, 
which bringeth forth out of his trea- 
sure things new and oli. 

53 And it came to pass, that when 
Jesus had finished these parables, he 
departed thence. 

54 And when he was come into his 
own country, he taught them in their 
synagogue, insomuch that they were 
astonished, and said, Whence hath 



The first thing which we ought to notice in these verses, 
is the striking question with which our Lord winds up 
the seven wonderful parables of this chapter. He said, 
" Have ye understood all these things ?" 

Personal application has been called the " soul" of 
preaching. A sermon without application is like a letter 
posted without a direction. It may be well-written, 
rightly dated, and duly signed. But it is useless, be- 
cause it never reaches its destination. Our Lord's 
inquiry is an admirable example of real heart-searching 
application, " Have ve understood ?" 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XIII. 155 

The mere form of hearing a sermon can profit no man, 
unless he comprehends what it means. He might just 
as well listen to the blowing of a trumpet, or the beating 
of a drum. He might just as well attend a Eoman 
Catholic service in Latin. His intellect must be set in 
motion, and his heart impressed. Ideas must be received 
into his mind. He must cany off the seeds of new 
thoughts. Without this he hears in vain. 

It is of great importance to see this point clearly. 
There is a vast amount of ignorance about it. There 
are thousands who go regularly to places of worship, and 
think they have done their religious duty, but never 
carry away an idea, or receive an impression. Ask them, 
when they return home on a Sunday evening, what they 
have learned, and they cannot tell you a word. Examine 
them at the end of a year, as to the religious knowledge 
they have attained, and you will find them as ignorant 
as the heathen. 

Let us watch our souls in this matter. Let us take 
with us to Church, not only our bodies, but our minds, 
our reason, our hearts, and our consciences. Let us 
often ask ourselves, " What have I got from this sermon ? 
what have I learned ? what truths have been impressed 
on my mind ?" Intellect, no doubt, is not everything in 
religion. But it does not therefore follow that it is 
nothing at all. — The heart is unquestionably the main 
point. But we must never forget that the Holy Ghost 
generally reaches the heart through the mind. — Sleepy, 
idle, inattentive hearers, are never likely to be con- 
verted. 

The second thing which we ought to notice in these 



156 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS, 

verses, is the strange treatment which our Lord received in 
His own country. 

He came to the town of Nazareth, where He had 
been brought up, and " taught in their synagogue." His 
teaching, no doubt, was the same as it always was. 
" Never man spake like this man." But it had no effect 
on the people of Nazareth. They were "astonished," 
but their hearts were unmoved. They said, " Is not this 
the carpenter's son ? Is not his mother called Mary ?" 
They despised Him, because they were so familiar with 
Him. " They were offended in him." And they drew 
from our Lord the solemn remark, " A prophet is not 
without honor, save in his own country, and in his own 
house." 

Let us see, in this history, a melancholy page of human 
nature unfolded to our view. We are all apt to despise 
mercies, if we are accustomed to them, and have them 
cheap. The Bibles and religious books, which are so 
plentiful in England, the means of grace of which we 
have so abundant a supply, the preaching of the Gospel 
which we hear every week, — all, ail are liable to be 
undervalued. It is mournfully true that in religion, more 
than in anything else, " familiarity breeds contempt." 
Men forget that truth is truth, however old and hackneyed 
it may sound, and despise it because it is old. Alas ! by 
so doing, they provoke God to take it away. 

Do we wonder that the relations, servants, and neigh- 
bors of godly people are not always converted ? Do we 
wonder that the parishioners of eminent ministers of the 
Gospel are often their hardest and most impenitent 
hearers ? Let us wonder no more. Let us mark 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XIII. 157 

the experience of our Lord at Nazareth, and learn 
wisdom. 

Do we ever fancy that if we had only seen and heard 
Jesus Christ, we should have been His faithful disciples ? 
Do we think that if we had only lived near Him, and 
been eyewitnesses of His ways, we should not have been 
undecided, wavering, and half-hearted about religion ? 
If we do, let us think so no longer. Let us observe the 
people of Nazareth, and learn wisdom. 

The last thing which we ought to notice in these verses 
is the ruinous nature of unbelief. The chapter ends 
with the fearful words, " He did not many works there, 
because of their unbelief." 

Behold in this single word the secret of the everlast- 
ing ruin of multitudes of souls ! They perish for ever, 
because they will not believe. There is nothing beside 
in earth or heaven that prevents their salvation. Their 
sins, however many, might all be forgiven. The Father's 
love is ready to receive them. The blood of Christ is 
ready to cleanse them. The power of the Spirit is ready 
to renew them. Bat a great barrier interposes ; — they 
will not believe. " Ye will not come unto me/' says 
Jesus, " that ye might have life." (John v. 40.) 

May we all be on our guard against this accursed sin. 
It is the old root-sin, which caused the fall of man. 
Cat down in the true child of G-od by the power of 
the Spirit, it is ever ready to bud and sprout again. 
There are three great enemies against which God's 
children should daily pray, — pride, worldliness, and 
unbelief. Of these three, none is greater than unbelief. 



158 



EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 



MATTHEW XIV. 1—12. 



1 At that time Herod the Tetrarch 
heard of the fame of Jesus, 

2 And said unto his servants, This 
is John the Baptist ; he is risen from 
the dead ; and therefore mighty works 
do shew forth themselves in him. 

3 For Herod had laid held on John, 
and bound him, and put Mm in prison 
for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's 
wife. 

4 For John said unto him, It is not 
lawful for thee to have her. 

5 And when he would have put him 
to death, he feared the multitude, be- 
cause they counted him as a prophet. 

6 But when Herod's birthday was 
kerjt, the daughter of Herodias danced 
before them, and pleased Herod. 



7 "Whereupon he promised with an 
oath to give her whatsoever she would 
ask. 

8 And she, being before instructed 
of her mother, said, Give me here 
John Baptist's head in a charger. 

9 And the king was sorry : never- 
theless for the oath's sake, and them 
which sat with him at meat, he com- 
manded it to be given Tier. 

10 And he sent, and beheaded John 
in the prison. 

11 And his head was brought in a 
charger, and given to the damsel ; 
and she brought it to her mother. 

12 And his disciples came, and took 
up the body and buried it, and went 
and told Jesus. 



We have in this passage a page out of Grod's book of 
martyrs — the history of the death of John the Baptist. 
The wickedness of king Herod, the bold reproof which 
John gave him, the consequent imprisonment of the 
faithful reprover, and the disgraceful circumstances of 
his death, are all written for our learning. " Precious 
in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints." 
(Psalm cxvi. 15.) 

The story of John the Baptist's death is told more 
fully by St. Mark than by St. Matthew. For the present 
it seems sufficient to draw two general lessons from St. 
Matthew's narrative, and to fasten our attention exclu- 
sively upon them. 

Let us learn, in the first place, from these verses, the 
great poiver of conscience. 

King Herod hears of " the fame of Jesus," and says 
to his servants, " This is John the Baptist : he is risen 
from the dead." He remembered his own wicked deal- 
ings with that holy man, and his heart failed within him. 



159 

His heart told him that he had despised his godly counsel, 
and committed a foul and abominable murder. And his 
heart told him, that though he had killed John, there 
would yet be a reckoning day. He and John the Baptist 
would yet meet again. Well says Bishop Hall, " a 
wicked man needs no other tormentor, especially for sins 
of blood, than his own heart." 

There is a conscience in all men by nature. Let this 
never be forgotten. Fallen, lost, desperately wicked as 
we are all born into the world, God has taken care to 
leave Himself a witness in our bosoms. It is a poor 
blind guide, without the Holy Ghost. It can save no 
one. It leads no one to Christ. It may be seared and 
trampled under foot. But there is such a thing as con- 
science in every man, accusing or excusing him ; and 
Scripture and experience alike declare it. (Kom. ii. 15.) 

Conscience can make even kings miserable, when they 
have wilfully rejected its advice. It can fill the princes of 
this world with fear and trembling, as it did Felix, when 
Paul preached. They find it easier to imprison and behead 
the preacher, than to bind his sermon, and silence the 
voice of his reproof in their own hearts. God's witnesses 
may be put out of the way, but their testimony often 
lives and works -on long after they are dead. God's 
prophets live not for ever, but their words often survive 
them. (2 Tim. ii. 9. Zech. i. 5.) 

Let the thoughtless and ungodly remember this, and 
not sin against their consciences. Let them know that 
their sins will " surely find them out." They may laugh, 
and jest, and mock at religion for a little time. They may 
cry, " Who is afraid ? Where is the mighty harm of 



160 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

our ways ?" They may depend upon it, they are sowing 
misery for themselves, and will reap a bitter crop sooner 
or later. Their wickedness will overtake them one day. 
They will find, like Herod, that it is an evil thing and 
bitter to sin against God. (Jerem. ii. 19.) 

Let ministers and teachers remember that there is a 
conscience in men, and work on boldly. Instruction is 
not always thrown away, because it seems to bear no 
fruit at the time it is given. Teaching is not always in 
vain, though we fancy that it is unheeded, wasted, 
and forgotten. There is a conscience in the hearers of 
sermons. There is a conscience in the children at our 
schools. Many a sermon and lesson will yet rise again, 
when he who preached or taught it is lying, like John 
the Baptist, in the grave. Thousands know that we are 
right, and, like Herod, dare not confess it. 

Let us learn, in the second place, that God's children 
must not look for their reivard in this ivorld. 

If ever there was a case of godliness unrewarded in 
this life, it was that of John the Baptist. Think for a 
moment what a man he was during his short career, and 
then think to what an end he came. Behold him, that 
was the Prophet of the Highest, and greater than any 
bom of woman, imprisoned like a malefactor ! Behold 
him cut off by a violent death, before the age of thirty- 
four — the burning light quenched — the faithful preacher 
murdered for doing his duty, — and this to gratify the 
hatred of an adulterous woman, and at the command 
of a capricious tyrant ! Truly there was an event here, if 
there ever was one in the world, which might make an 
ignorant man say, " What profit is it to serve God ?" 



161 

But these are the sort of things which show us, that 
there will one day be a judgment. The God of the 
spirits of all flesh shall at last set up an assize, and 
reward every one according to his works. The blood of 
John the Baptist, and James the apostle, and Stephen — 
the blood of Polycarp, and Huss, and Ridley, and 
Latimer, shall yet be required. It is all written in God's 
book. "The earth shall disclose her blood, and no more 
cover her slain." (Isaiah xxvi. 21.) The world shall 
yet know, that there is a God that judgeth the earth. 
" If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent 
perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel 
not at the matter, for he that is higher than the highest 
regardeth : and there be higher than they." (Eccles. vi. 8.) 

Let all true Christians remember, that their best 
things are yet to come. Let us count it no strange 
thing, if we have sufferings in this present time. It 
is a season of probation. We are yet at school. We 
are learning patience, longsuffering, gentleness, and 
meekness, which we could hardly learn if we had our 
good things now. But there is an eternal holiday yet 
to begin. For this let us wait quietly. It will make 
amends for all. " Our light affliction which is but for a 
moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal 
weight of glory." (2 Cor. iv. 17.) 



MATTHEW XIV. 13—21. 



13 When Jesus heard of it, he de- 
parted thence by ship into a desert 
Elace apart : and when the people bad 
eard thereof, they followed him on 
foot out of the cities. 



14 And Jesus went forth, and saw 
a great multitude, and was moved 
with compassion toward them, and he 
healed their sick. 

15 And when it was evening, his 



162 



EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 



disciples came to him, saying, This is 
a desert place, and the time is now 
past; send the multitude away, that 
they may go into the villages, and 
buy themselves victuals. 

i6 But Jesus said unto them, They 
need not depart ; give ye them to eat. 

17 And they say unto him, We have 
here hut five loaves, and two fishes. 

18 He said, Bwng them hither to me. 

19 And he commanded the multi- 
tude to sit down on the ^rass, and 



took the five loaves, and the two fishes, 
and looking up to heaven, he blessed, 
and brake, and gave the loaves to Ms 
disciples, and the disciples to the 
multitude. 

20 And they did all eat, and were 
filled: and they took up of the frag- 
ments that remained twelve baskets 
full. 

21 And they that had eaten were 
about five thousand men, beside wo- 
men and children. 



These verses contain one of our Lord Jesus Christ's 
greatest miracles, the feeding of " five thousand men, 
beside women and children/' with five loaves and two 
fishes. Of all the miracles worked by our Lord, not one 
is so often mentioned in the New Testament as this. 
Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, all dwell upon it. It 
is plain that this event in our Lord's history is intended 
to receive special attention. Let us give it that attention, 
and see what we may learn. 

In the first place, this miracle is an unanswerable 
proof of our Lord's divine power. 

To satisfy the hunger of more than five thousand 
people with so small a portion of food as five loaves 
and two fishes, would be manifestly impossible with- 
out a supernatural multiplication of the food. It was 
a thing that no magician, impostor, or false prophet 
would ever have attempted. Such a person might 
possibly pretend to cure a single sick person, or raise a 
single dead body. — and by jugglery and trickery might 
persuade weak people that he succeeded. But such a 
person would never attempt such a mighty work as that 
which is here recorded. He would know well that he 
could not persuade ten thousand men, women, and chil- 



CHAP. XIV. 163 

dren that they were full when they were hungry. He 
would be exposed as a cheat and impostor on the spot. 

Yet this is the mighty work which our Lord actually 
performed, and by performing it gave a conclusive proof 
that He was God. He called that into being which did 
not before exist. He provided visible, tangible, material 
food for ten thousand people, out of a supply which in 
itself would not have satisfied fifty. Surely we must be 
blind if we do not see in this the hand of Him " who 
provideth food for all flesh/' and made the world and all 
that therein is. To create is the peculiar prerogative 
of God. 

We ought to lay firm hold on such passages as this. 
We should treasure up in our minds every evidence of 
our Lord's divine power. The cold, orthodox, unconverted 
man may see little in the story. The true believer should 
store it in his memory. Let him think of the world, the 
devil, and his own heart, and learn to thank God that 
his Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, is almighty. 

In the second place, this miracle is a striking example 
of our Lord's compassion toward men. 

He saw a great company in a desert place, ready to 
faint for hunger. He knew that many in that company 
had no true faith and love towards Himself. They fol- 
lowed Him from fashion and curiosity, or some equally low 
motive. (John vi. 26.) But our Lord had pity upon all. 
All were relieved. All partook of the food miraculously 
provided. All were "filled," and none went hungry away. 

Let us see in this the heart of our Lord Jesus 
Christ towards sinners. He is as He was of old, " the 
Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, 



164 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

and abundant in goodness and truth." (Exod. xxxiv.6.) 
He does not deal with men according to their sins, or 
reward them according to their iniquities. He loads 
even His enemies with benefits. None will be so excuse- 
less as those who are found impenitent at last. The 
Lord's goodness leads them to repentance. (Rom. ii. 4.) 
In all His dealings with men on earth. He showed him- 
self one that " delighteth in mercy." (Micah vii. 18.) 
Let us strive to be like Him. "We ought/' says Quesnel, 
" to have abundance of pity and compassion on diseased 
souls." 

In the last place, this miracle is a lively emblem of the 
sufficiency of the Gospel to meet the soul-ivants of all man- 
kind. 

There can be little doubt that all our Lord's miracles 
have a deep figurative meaning, and teach great spiritual 
truths. But they must be handled reverently and dis- 
creetly. Care must be taken that we do not, like many of 
the Fathers, see allegories where the Holy Spirit meant 
none to be seen. But perhaps, if there is any miracle 
which has a manifest figurative meaning, in addition to 
the plain lessons which may be drawn from its surface, 
it is that which is now before us. 

What does this hungry multitude in a desert place 
represent to us ? It is an emblem of all mankind. The 
children of men are a large assembly of perishing sinners, 
famishing in the midst of a wilderness world,' — helpless, 
hopeless, and on the way to ruin. We have all gone 
astray like lost sheep. (Isai. liii. 6.) We are by nature 
far away from God. Our eyes may not be opened to the 
full extent of our danger. But in reality we are wretched, 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XIV. 165 

and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. (Rev. iii. 
17.) There is but a step between us and everlasting death. 

What do these loaves and fishes represent, apparently 
so inadequate to meet the necessities of the case, but by 
miracle made sufficient to feed ten thousand people ? 
They are an emblem of the doctrine of Christ crucified 
for sinners , as their vicarious substitute, and making 
atonement by His death for the sin of the world. That 
doctrine seems to the natural man weakness itself. Christ 
crucified was to the Jews a stumbling-block, and to the 
Greeks foolishness. (1 Cor. i. 23.) And yet Christ crucified 
has proved the bread of God which cometh down from 
heaven, and giveth life to the world. (John vi. 33.) The 
story of the cross has amply met the spiritual wants of 
mankind wherever it has been preached. Thousands of 
every rank, age, and nation, are witnesses that it is " the 
wisdom of God, and the power of G-od." They have 
eaten of it and been "filled." They have found it 
" meat indeed and drink indeed." 

Let us ponder these things well. There are great 
depths in all our Lord Jesus Christ's recorded dealings 
upon earth, which no one has ever fully fathomed. 
There are mines of rich instruction in all His words and 
ways, which no one has thoroughly explored. Many a 
passage of the Gospels is like the cloud which Elijah's 
servant saw. (1 Kings xviii. 44.) The more we look at it, 
the greater it will appear. There is an inexhaustible ful- 
ness in Scripture. Other writings seem comparatively 
threadbare when we become familiar with them. But 
as to Scripture, the more we read it, the richer we shall 
find it. 



166 



EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 



MATTHEW XIV. 22—36. 



22 And straightway Jesus con- 
strained his disciples to get into a 
ship, and to go before him unto the 
other side, while he sent the multi- 
tudes away. 

23 And when he had sent the 
multitudes away, he went up into a 
mountain apart to pray : and when 
the evening was come, he was there 
alone. 

24 But the ship was now in the 
midst of the sea, tossed with- waves : 
for the wind was contrary. 

25 And in the fourth watch of the 
night Jesus went unto them, walking 
on the sea. 

28 And when the disciples saw him 
walking on the sea, they were troub- 
led, saying, It is a spirit; and they 
cried out for fear. 

27 But straightway Jesus spake 
unto them, saying, Be of good cheer ; 
it is I ; be not afraid. 

28 And Peter answered him and 
said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come 
unto thee on the water. 

29 And he said, Come. And when 



Peter was come down out of the ship, 
he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. 

30 But when he saw the wind bois- 
terous, he was afraid, and beginning 
to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save 
me. 

31 And immediately Jesus stretched 
forth Ms hand, and caught him, and 
said unto him, thou of little faith, 
wherefore didst thou doubt ? 

32 And when they were come into 
the ship, the wind ceased. 

33 Then they that were in the ship 
came and worshipped him, saying, Of 
a truth thou art the Son of God. 

34 And when they were gone over, 
they came into the land of Gennezsaret. 

35 And when the men of that place 
had knowledge of him, they sent out 
into all that country round about, 
and brought unto him all that were 
diseased ; 

36 And besought him that they 
might only touch'the hem of his gar- 
ment t and as many as touched were 
made perfectly whole. 



The history contained in these verses, is one of singular 
interest. The miracle here recorded brings out in strong- 
light the character both of Christ and His people. The 
power and mercy of the Lord Jesus, and the mixture of 
faith and unbelief in His best disciples, are beautifully 
illustrated. 

We learn, in the first place, from this miracle, lohai 
absolute dominion our Saviour has over all created things. 
We see Him " walking on the sea," as if it was dry 
land. Those angry waves which tossed the ship of His 
disciples to and fro, obey the Son of God, and become a 
solid floor under His feet. That liquid surface, which 
was agitated by the least breath of wind, bears up the 
feet of our Redeemer, like a rock. To our poor, weak 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XIV. 167 

minds, the whole event is utterly incomprehensible. The 
picture of two feet walking on the sea, is said by Dod- 
dridge to have been the Egyptian emblem of an impossi- 
ble thing. The man of science will tell us, that for 
material flesh and blood to walk on water is a physical 
impossibility. Enough for us to know that it was done. 
Enough for us to remember, that to Him who created 
the seas at the beginning, it must have been perfectly 
easy to walk over their waves when He pleased. 

There is encouragement here for all true Christians. 
Let them know that there is nothing created, which is 
not under Christ's control. " All things serve Him." 
He may allow His people to be tried for a season, and 
tossed to and fro by storms of trouble. He may be later 
than they wish in coming to their aid, and not draw 
near till the " fourth watch of the night." But never 
let them forget that winds, and waves, and storms are all 
Christ's servants. They cannot move without Christ's 
permission. " The Lord on high is mightier than the 
voice of many waters, yea than the mighty waves of the 
sea." (Psalm xciii. 4.) Are we ever tempted to cry 
with Jonah, " the floods compassed me about : all thy 
billows and thy waves passed over me." (Jonah ii. 3.) 
Let us remember they are " His" billows. Let us wait 
patiently. We may yet see Jesus coming to us, and 
" walking on the sea." 

We learn, in the second place, from this miracle, tvhat 
poiver Jesus can bestow on them that believe on Him. We 
see Simon Peter coming down out of the ship, and walk- 
ing on the water, like His Lord. What a wonderful 
proof was this of our Lord's divinity I To walk on the 



168 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

sea Himself was a mighty miracle. But to enable a 
poor weak disciple to do the same, was a mightier miracle 
still. 

There is a deep meaning in this part of our history. 
It shows us what great things our Lord can do for those 
that hear His voice, and follow Him. He can enable 
them to do things which at one time they would have 
thought impossible. He can carry them through difficul- 
ties and trials, which without Him they would never have 
dared to face. He can give them strength to walk 
through fire and water unharmed, and to get the better 
of every foe. Moses in Egypt, Daniel in Babylon, the 
saints in Nero's household, are all examples of His 
mighty power. Let us fear nothing, if we are in the 
path of duty. The waters may seem deep. But if 
Jesus says, " Come," we have no cause to be afraid. 
" He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he 
do also, and greater works than these shall he do." 
(John xiv. 12.) 

Let us learn, in the third place, from this miracle, koto 
much trouble disciples bring on themselves by unbelief. 
We see Peter walking boldly on the water for a little 
way. But by and bye, when he sees " the wind boister- 
ous," he is afraid, and begins to sink. The weak flesh 
gets the better of the willing spirit. He forgets the 
wonderful proofs of his Lord's goodness and power, which 
he had just received. He considered not that the same 
Saviour who had enabled him to walk one step, must be 
able to hold him up for ever. He did not reflect that he 
was nearer to Christ when once on the water, than he 
was when he first left the ship. Fear took away his 



169 

memory. Alarm confused his reason. He thought of 
nothing but the winds and waves and his immediate 
danger, and his faith gave way. " Lord/' He cried, 
" save me." 

What a lively picture we have here of the experience 
of many a believer ! How many there are who have 
faith enough to take the first step in following Christ, 
but not faith enough to go on as they begun. They take 
fright at the trials and dangers which seem to be in their 
way. They look at the enemies that surround them, and 
the difficulties that seem likely to beset their path. They 
dwell on them more than on Jesus, and at once their feet 
begin to sink. Their hearts faint within them. Their 
hope vanishes away. Their comforts disappear. — And 
why is all this ? Christ is not altered. Their enemies 
are not greater than they were. — It is just because, like 
Peter, they have ceased to look to Jesus, and have given 
way to unbelief. They are taken up with thinking 
about their enemies, instead of thinking about Christ. 
May we lay this to heart, and learn wisdom. 

Let us learn, in the last place, from this miracle, how 
merciful our Lord Jesus Christ is to weak believers. We 
see Him stretching forth His hand immediately to save 
Peter, as soon as Peter cried to Him. He does not leave 
him to reap the fruit of his own unbelief, and sink in the 
deep waters. He only seems to consider his trouble, and 
to think of nothing so much as delivering hitn from it. 
The only word He utters, is the gentle reproof, " thou 
of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt ?" 

Behold in this concluding part of the miracle, the 
exceeding "gentleness of Christ V He can bear with 



170 



EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 



much, and forgive much, when He sees true grace in a 
man's heart. As a mother deals gently with her infant, 
and does not cast it away because of its little wayward- 
ness and frowarclness, so does the Lord Jesus deal gently 
with His people. He loved and pitied them before con- 
version, and after conversion He loves and pities them 
still more. He knows their feebleness, and bears long 
with them. He would have us know that doubting does 
not prove that a man has no faith, but only that his 
faith is small. And even when our faith is small, the 
Lord is ready to help us. " When I said, my foot slip- 
peth, thy mercy, Lord, held me up." (Psal. xciv. 18.) 
How much there is in all this to encourage men to 
serve Christ ! Where is the man that ought to be afraid 
to begin running the Christian race, with such a Saviour 
as Jesus ? If we fall, He will raise us again. If we 
err, He will bring us back. But His mercy shall never 
be altogether taken from us. He has said, " I will never 
leave thee, nor forsake thee," and He will keep His 
word. May we only remember, that while we do not 
despise little faith, we must not sit down content with it. 
Our prayer must ever be, " Lord, increase our faith." 



MATTHEW XV. 1- 



1 Then came to Jesus Scribes and 
Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, 
saying:, 

2 Why do thy disciples transgress 
the tradition of the elders ? for they 
wash not their hands when they eat 
bread. 

3 But he answered and said unto 
them, Why do ye also transgress the 
cornmau intent of God bv your tradi- 
tion? 



4 For God commanded, saying, 
Honor thy father and motherland, 
He that curseth father or mother, let 
him die the death. 

5 But ye say, Whosoever shall say 
to Ms father or Ms mother, It is a 
gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be 
profited by me ; 

6 And honor not his father or his 
mother, le shall he free. Thus have 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XV. 



171 



ye made the commandment of God of 
none effect by your tradition. 

7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias 
prophesy of you, saying, 

8 This people draweth nigh unto 
me with their mouth, and honoreth 



me with their lips ; but their heart is 
far from me. 

9 But in vain they do worship me, 
teaching for doctrines the command 
ments of men. 



We have in these verses a conversation between our 
Lord Jesus Christ, and certain Scribes and Pharisees. 
The subject of it may seem, at first sight, of little inter- 
est in modern days. Bat it is not so in reality. The 
principles of the Pharisees are principles that never die. 
There are truths laid down here, which are of deep 
importance. 

We learn, for one thing, that hypocrites generally at- 
tach great importance to mere outiuard things in religion. 

The complaint of the Scribes and Pharisees in this 
place, is a striking case in point. They brought an 
accusation to our Lord against His discijiles. Bat what 
was its nature ? It was not that they were covetous or 
self-righteous. It was not that they were untruthful or 
uncharitable. It was not that they had broken any part 
of the law of Grod. But they " transgressed the traditions 
of the elders. — They did not wash their hands when they 
ate bread." They did not observe some rule of mere 
human authority, which some old Jew had invented ! 
This was the head and front of their offence ! 

Do we see nothing of the spirit of the Pharisees in the 
present day ? Unhappily we see only too much. There 
are thousands of professing Christians, who seem to care 
nothing about the religion of their neighbors, provided 
that it agrees in outward matters with their own. Does 
their neighbor worship according to their particular 
form ? Can he repeat their shibboleth, and talk a little 



172 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

about their favorite doctrines ? If he can, they are 
satisfied, though there is no evidence that he is con- 
verted. If he cannot, they are always finding fault, and 
cannot speak peaceably of him, though he may be serving 
Christ better than themselves. Let us beware of this 
spirit. It is the very essence of hypocrisy. Let our 
principle be : " the kingdom of God is not meat and 
drink, but righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy 
Ghost." (Rom. xiv. 17.) 

We learn, for another thing, from these verses, the 
great danger of attempting to add anything to the word 
of God. Whenever a man takes upon him to make ad- 
ditions to the Scriptures, he is likely to end with valuing 
his own additions above Scripture itself. 

We see this point brought out most strikingly in our 
Lord's answer to the charge of the Pharisees against His 
disciples. He says, "Why do ye also transgress the 
commandment of God by your traditions ?" He strikes 
boldly at the whole system of adding anything, as needful 
to salvation, to God's perfect word. He exposes the 
mischievous tendency of the system by an example. He 
shows how the vaunted traditions of the Pharisees were 
actually destroying the authority of the fifth command- 
ment. In short, He establishes the great truth, which 
ought never be forgotten, that there is an inherent 
tendency in all traditions, to " make the word of God of 
none effect." The authors of these traditions may have 
meant no such thing. Their intentions may have been 
pure. But that there is a tendency in all religious insti- 
tutions of mere human authority, to usurp the authority 
of God's word, is evidently the doctrine of Christ. It 



1T3 

is a solemn remark of Bucer's, that " a man is rarely 
to be found, who pays an excessive attention to human 
inventions in religion, who does not put more trust in 
them than in the grace of God." 

And have we not seen melancholy proof of this truth, 
in the history of the Church of Christ ? Unhappily we 
have seen only too much. As Baxter says, " men 
think God's laws too many and too strict, and yet make 
more of their own, and are precise for keeping them/' 
Have we never read how some have exalted canons, 
rubrics, and ecclesiastical laws above the word of God, 
and punished disobedience to them with far greater 
severity than open sins, like drunkenness and swear- 
ing ? — Have we never heard of the extravagant im- 
portance which the Church of Borne attaches to monastic 
vows, and vows of celibacy, and keeping feasts and 
fasts ; insomuch that she seems to place them far above 
family duties, and the ten commandments ? — Have 
we never heard of men who make more ado about 
eating flesh in Lent, than about gross impurity of life, 
or murder ? — Have we never observed in our own 
land, how many seem to make adherence to Episco- 
pacy the weightiest matter in Christianity, and to regard 
" Churchrnanship," as they call it, as far outweighing 
repentance, faith, holiness, and the graces of the Spirit ? 
— These are questions which can only receive one sorrow- 
ful answer. The spirit of the Pharisees still lives, after 
eighteen hundred years. The disposition to " make the 
word of God of none effect by traditions," is to be found 
among Christians, as well as among Jews. The tendency 
practically to exalt man's inventions above God's word, 



174 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

is still fearfully prevalent. May we watch against it, 
and be on our guard ! May we remember that no tra- 
dition or man-made institution in religion can ever excuse 
the neglect of relative duties, or justify disobedience to 
any plain commandment of God's word. 

We learn, in the last place, from these verses, that the 
religious worship which God desires, is the worship of 
the heart. We find our Lord establishing this by a quo- 
tation from Isaiah, " This people draweth near to me 
with their lips, but their heart is far from me." 

The heart is the principal thing in the relation of 
husband and wife, of friend and friend, of parent and 
child. The heart must be the principal point to which 
we attend in all the relations between God and our souls. 
What is the first thing we need, in order to be Chris- 
tians ? A new heart. — What is the sacrifice God asks 
us to bring to him ? A broken and a contrite heart. — 
What is the true circumcision ? The circumcision of the 
heart. — What is genuine obedience ? To obey from the 
heart. — What is saving faith ? To believe with the 
heart. — Where ought Christ to dwell ? To dwell in our 
hearts by faith. — What is the chief request that Wisdom 
makes to every one ? " My son, give me thine heart." 

Let us leave the passage with honest self-inquiry as to 
the state of our own hearts. Let us settle it in our 
minds, that all formal worship of God, whether in public 
or private, is utterly in vain, so long as our "hearts are far 
from Him." The bended knee, the bowed head, the loud 
amen, the daily chapter, the regular attendance at the 
Lord's table, are all useless and unprofitable, so long as 
our affections are nailed to sin, or pleasure, or money, or 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XV. 



175 



the world. The question of our Lord must yet be an- 
swered satisfactorily, before we can be saved. He says 
to every one, " lovest thou me ?" (John xxii. 17.) 



MATTHEW XV. 10—20. 



10 And he called the multitude, and 
said unto them, Hear, and understand ; 

11 Not that which goeth into the 
mouth deflleth a man ; but that which 
cometh out of the mouth, this defileth 
a man. 

12 Then came his disciples, and 
said unto him, Knowest thou that the 
Pharisees were offended, after they 
heard this saying? 

13 Bathe answered and said, Every 
plant, which my heavenly Father 
■hath not planted, shall be rooted up. 

14 Let them alone : they be blind 
leaders of the blind. And if the blind 
lead the blind, both shall fall into the 
ditch. 

15 Then answered Peter and said 



unto him, Declare unto us this para- 
ble. 

16 And Jesus said, Are ye also yet 
without understanding? 

17 Do not ye yet understand, that 
whatsoever cntereth in at the mouth 
goeth into the belly, and is cast out 
into the draught ? 

18 Bat those things which proceed 
out of the month come forth from tho 
heart ; and they defile the man. 

19 For out of the heart proceed 
evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, 
fornications, thefts, false witness, 
blasphemies : 

20 These are the things which defile 
a man : but to eat with unwashen 
hands defileth not a man. 



There are two striking sayings of the Lord Jesus in this 
passage. One respects false doctrine. The other respects 
the human heart. Both of them deserve the closest at- 
tention. 

[Respecting false doctrine, our Lord declares, that it is 
a duty to oppose it, that its final destruction is sure, and 
that its teachers ought to be forsaken. He says, " Every 
plant that my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall 
be rooted up. Let them alone." 

It is clear from examination of the passage, that the 
disciples were surprised at our Lord's strong language 
about the Pharisees and their traditions. They had 
probably been accustomed from their youth to regard 
them as the wisest and best of men. They were startled 
to hear their Master denouncing them as hypocrites, and 



176 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

charging them with transgressing the commandment of 
God. " Knowest thou," they said, " that the Pharisees 
were offended/' To this question we are indebted for 
our Lord's explanatory declaration — a declaration which 
perhaps has never received the notice it deserves. 

The plain meaning of our Lord's words is, that false 
doctrine like that of the Pharisees, was a plant to which 
no mercy should he shown. — It was a " plant which His 
heavenly Father had not planted," and a plant which it 
was a duty to root up, whatever offence it might cause. 
It was no charity to spare it, because it was injurious to 
the souls of men. — It mattered nothing that those who 
planted it were high in office, or learned. If it contra- 
dicted the word of God, it ought to be opposed, refuted, 
and rejected. — His disciples must therefore understand 
that it was right to resist all teaching that was unscrip- 
tural, and to " let alone," and forsake all instructors who 
persisted in it. — Sooner or later they would find that all 
false doctrine will be completely overthrown, and put to 
shame, and nothing shall stand but that which is built 
on the word of God. 

There are lessons of deep wisdom in this saying of our 
Lord, which serve to throw light on the duty of many 
a professing Christian. Let us scan them well, and see 
what they are. It was practical obedience to this saying 
which produced the blessed Protestant Reformation. Its 
lessons deserve close attention. 

Do we not see here the duty of boldness in resisting 
false teaching ? Beyond doubt we do. No fear of 
giving offence, no dread of ecclesiastical censure, should 
make us hold our peace, when God's truth is in peril. 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XV. 177 

If we are true followers of our Lord, we ought to be out- 
speaking, unflinching witnesses against error. " Truth," 
says Musculus, " must not he suppressed because men are 
wicked and blind/' 

Do we not see again the duty of forsaking false 
teachers, if they will not give up their delusions ? Be- 
yond doubt we do. No false delicacy, no mock humility 
should make us shrink from leaving the ministrations of 
any minister who contradicts God's word. It is at our 
peril if we submit to un scriptural teaching. Our blood 
will be on our own heads. To use the words of Whitby, 
" It never can be right to follow the blind into the ditch." 

Do we not see, in the last place, the duty of patience, 
when we see false teaching abound ? Beyond doubt 
we do. We may take comfort in the thought that it 
will not stand long. God Himself will defend the cause 
of His own truth. Sooner or later every heresy "shall be 
rooted up/' We are not to fight with carnal weapons, 
but wait, and preach, and protest, and pray. Sooner or 
later, as Wycliffe said, " the truth shall prevail." 

Eespecting the heart of man, our Lord declares in 
these verses, that it is the true source of all sin and defile- 
ment. The Pharisees taught that holiness depended on 
meats and drinks, on bodily washings and purifications. — 
They held that all who observed their traditions on these 
matters were pure and clean in God's sight, and that all 
who neglected them were impure and unclean. — Our 
Lord overthrew this miserable doctrine, by showing His 
disciples that the real fountain of all defilement was not 
without a man, but within. " Out of the heart," He says, 
" proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, 

8* 



178 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

thefts, false witnesses, blasphemies : these are the things 
which defile a man/' — He that would serve God aright 
needs somethingfar more important than bodily washings. 
He must seek to have " a clean heart." 

What an awful picture we have here of human nature, 
and drawn too by one who knew what was in man ! 
"What a fearful catalogue is this of the contents of our 
own bosoms ! What a melancholy list of seeds of evil 
our Lord has exposed, lying deep down within every one 
of us, and ready at any time to start into active life ! 
What can the proud and self-righteous say, when they 
read such a passage as this ? This is no sketch of the 
heart of a robber, or murderer. It is the true and faithful 
account of the hearts of all mankind. May God grant 
that we may ponder it well and learn wisdom ! 

Let it be a settled resolution with us, that in all our 
religion the state of our hearts shall be the main thing. 
Let it not content us to go to church, and observe the 
forms of religion. Let us look far deeper than this, and 
desire to have a " heart right in the sight of God." (Acts 
viii. 21.) The right heart is a heart sprinkled with the 
blood of Christ, and renewed by the Holy Ghost, and 
purified by faith. Never let us rest till we find within 
the witness of the Spirit, that God has created in 
us a clean heart, and made all things new. (Psalm li. 10. 
2 Cor. v. 17.) 

Finally, let it be a settled resolution with us to " keep 
our hearts with all diligence/' all the days of our lives. 
(Prov. iv. 23.) Even after renewal they are weak. Even 
after putting on the new man they are deceitful. Let us 
never forget that our chief danger is from within. The 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XV. 



179 



world and the devil combined, cannot do us so much harm 
as our own hearts will, if we do not watch and pray. 
Happy is he who remembers daily the words of Solomon, 
"He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool." (Prov. 
xxviii. 26.) 



MATTHEW XV. 21—28. 



21 Then Jesus went thence, and 
departed into the coasts of Tyre and 
Sidon. 

22 And, behold, a woman of Caanan 
came out of the same coasts, and cried 
unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, 
Lord, thou Son of David; my 
daughter is grievously vexed with a 
devil. 

23 But he answered her not a word. 
And his disciples came and besought 
him, saying, Send her away ; for she 
crieth after us. 

24 But he answered and said, I am 



not sent but unto the lost sheep of 
the house of Israel. 

25 Then came she and worshipped 
him, saying, Lord, help me. 

26 But he answered and said, It is 
not meet to take the children's bread, 
and to cast it to dogs. 

27 And she said, Truth, Lord ; yet 
the clogs eat of the crumbs which fall 
from their master's table. 

28 Then Jesus answered anrl said 
unto her, O woman, great is thy 
faith : be it unto thee even as thou 
wilt. And her daughter was made 
whole from that very hour. 



Another of our Lord's miracles is recorded in these 
verses. The circumstances which attend it are peculiarly 
full of interest. Let us take them up in order, and see 
what they are. Every word in these narratives is rich 
in instruction. 

We see, in the first place, that true faith may some- 
times be found, toJiere .it might have been least expected. 

A Caananitish woman cries to our Lord for help, on 
behalf of her daughter. " Have mercy on me," she 
says, " Lord, thou Son of David." Such a prayer 
would have showed great faith, had she lived in Bethany, 
or Jerusalem. But when we find that she came from 
the " coasts of Tyre and Sidon," such a prayer may well 
till us with surprise. It ought to teach us, that it is 



180 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

grace, not place, which makes people believers. We may 
live in a prophet's family, like Gehazi, the servant of 
Elisha, and yet continue impenitent, unbelieving, and 
fond of the world. We may dwell in the midst of su- 
perstition and dark idolatry, like the little maid in Naa- 
man's house, and yet be faithful witnesses for God and 
His Christ. Let us not despair of any one's soul, merely 
because his lot is cast in an unfavorable position. It is 
possible to dwell in the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, and 
yet sit down in the kingdom of God. 

We see, in the second place, that affliction sometimes 
proves a blessing to a person's soul. 

This Caaiianitish mother no doubt had been sorely 
tried. She had seen her darling child vexed with a devil, 
and been unable to relieve her. But yet that trouble 
brought her to Christ, and taught her to pray. Without 
it she might have lived and died in careless ignorance, 
and never seen Jesus at all. Surely it was good for her 
that she was afflicted. (Psalm cxix. 71.) 

Let us mark this well. There is nothing which shows 
our ignorance so much as our impatience under trouble. 
We forget that every cross is a message from God, and 
intended to do us good in the end. Trials are intended to 
make us think, — to wean us from the world, — to send us 
to the Bible, — to drive us to our knees. Health is a good 
thing ; but sickness is far better, if it leads us to God. 
Prosperity is a great mercy, but adversity is a greater 
one, if it brings us to Christ. Anything, anything is 
better than living in carelessness, and dying in sin. 
Better a thousand times be afflicted, like the Canaanitish 
mother, and like her flee to Christ, than live at ease, like 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XV. 181 

the rich " fool/' and die at last without Christ and with- 
out hope. (Luke xii. 20.) 

We see, in the third place, that Christ's people are often 
less gracious and compassionate than Christ Himself. 

The woman about whom we are reading, found small 
favor with our Lord's disciples. Perhaps they regarded 
an inhabitant of the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, as un- 
worthy of their Master's help, At any rate they said, 
" Send her away." 

There is only too much of this spirit among many 
who profess and call themselves believers. They are apt 
to discourage inquirers after Christ, instead of helping 
them forward. They are too ready to doubt the reality 
of a beginner's grace, because it is small, and to treat 
him as Saul was treated when he first came to Jerusalem 
after his conversion. " They believed not that he was 
a disciple." (Acts ix. 26.) Let us beware of giving way 
to this spirit. Let us seek to have more of the mind that 
was in Christ. Like Him let us be gentle, and kind, and 
encouraging in all our treatment of those who are seeking 
to be saved. Above all, let us tell men continually that 
they must not judge of Christ by Christians. Let us 
assure them that there is far more in that gracious Master, 
than there is in the best of His servants. Peter, and 
James, and John may say to the afflicted soul, " Sendher 
away." But such a word never came from the lips of 
Christ, He may sometimes keep us long wating, as He 
did this woman. But He will never send us empty away. 

We see, in the last place, vSiiat encouragement there 
is to persevere in prayer, both for ourselves and others. 

It is hard to conceive a more striking illustration of 



182 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

this truth, than we have in this passage. The prayer of 
this afflicted mother at first seemed entirely unnoticed : 
Jesus " answered her not a word/' Yet she prayed on. 
— The saying which by and bye fell from our Lord's lips 
sounded discouraging : " I am not sent but unto the lost 
sheep of the house of Israel." Yet she prayed on, " Lord, 
help me." The second saying of our Lord was even less 
encouraging than the first : " It is not meet to take the 
children's bread, and cast it to the dogs." Yet " hope 
deferred" did not "make her heart sick." (Pro v. xiii. 12.) 
Even then she was not silenced. Even then she finds a 
plea for some " crumbs" of mercy to be granted to her. 
And her importunity obtained at length a gracious re- 
ward. " woman, great is thy faith : be it unto thee 
even as thou wilt." That promise never yet was broken, 
"Seek and ye shall find. (Matt. vii. 7.) 

Let us remember this history, when we pray for our- 
selves. We are sometimes tempted to think that we get 
no good by our prayers, and that we may as well give 
them up altogether. Let us resist the temptation. It 
comes from the devil. Let us believe, and pray on. 
Against our besetting sins, against the spirit of the world, 
against the wiles of the devil, let us pray on, and not 
faint. — For strength to do duty, for grace to bear our 
trials, for comfort in every trouble, let us continue in 
prayer. Let us be sure that no time is so well-spent in 
every day, as that which we spend upon our knees. 
Jesus hears us, and in his own good time will give an 
answer. 

Let us remember this history, when ive intercede for 
others. Have we children, whose conversion we desire ? 



183 

Have we relations and friends, about whose salvation we 
are anxious ? Let us follow the example of this Ca- 
naanitish woman, and lay the state of their souls before 
Christ. Let us name their names before Him night and 
day, and never rest till we have an answer. We may 
have to wait many a long year. We may seem to pray 
in vain, and intercede without profit. But let us never 
give up. Let us believe that Jesus is not changed, and 
that He who heard the Canaanitish mother, and granted 
her request, will also hear us, and one day give us an 
answer of peace. 



MATTHEW XV. 29—39. 



29 And Jesus departed from thence, 
and came nigh unto the sea of Galilee ; 
and went up into a mountain, and sat 
down there. 

30 And great multitudes came unto 
him, having with them those that 
were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and 
many others, and cast them down at 
Jesus' feet ; and he healed them : 

31 Insomuch that the multitude 
wondered, when they saw the dumb 
to speak, the maimed to be whole, the 
lame to walk, and the blind to see ; 
and they glorified the God of Israel. 

32 Then Jesus called his disciples 
unto him, and said, I have compassion 
on the multitude, because they con- 
tinue with me now three days, and 
have nothing to eat : and I will not 
send them away fasting, lest they 
faint in the way. 

33 And his disciples say unto him 3 



Whence should we have so much 
bread in the wilderness, as to fill so 
great a multitude ? 

34 And Jesus saith unto them, How 
many loaves have ye ? And they said, 
Seven, and a few little fishes. 

35 And he commanded the multi- 
tude to sit down on the ground. 

36 And he took the seven loaves 
and the fishes, and gave thanks, and 
brake them, and gave to his disciples, 
and the disciples to the multitude. 

37 And they did all eat, and were 
filled : and they took up of the broken 
meat that was left seven baskets full. 

38 And they that did eat were four 
thousand men, beside women and 
children. 

39 And he sent away the multitude, 
and took ship, and came into the 
coasts of Magdala. 



The beginning of this passage contains three points 
which deserve our special attention. For the present let 
us dwell exclusively on them. 

In the first place, let us remark, how much more pains 
people take about the relief of their bodily diseases, than 



184 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

about their souls. We read, that " great multitudes came 
to Jesus, having with them those that were lame, blind, 
dumb, maimed, and many others." Many of them, no 
doubt, had journeyed many miles, and gone through 
great fatigues. [Nothing is so difficult and troublesome, 
as to move sick people. But the hope of being healed 
was in sight. Such hope is everything to a sick man. 

We know little of human nature, if we wonder at 
the conduct of these people. We need not wonder at 
all. They felt that health was the greatest of earthly 
blessings. They felt that pain was the hardest of all 
trials to bear. There is no arguing against sense. A 
man feels his strength, failing. He sees his body wasting, 
and his face becoming pale. He is sensible that his 
appetite is leaving him. He knows, in short, that he 
is ill, and needs a physician. Show him a physician 
within reach, who is said never to fail in working cures, 
and he will go to him without delay. 

Let us however not forget that our souls are far more 
diseased than our bodies, and learn a lesson from the 
conduct of these people. Our souls are afflicted with a 
malady far more deep-seated, far more complicated, far 
more hard to cure than any ailment that flesh is heir to. 
They are in fact plague-stricken by sin. They must be 
healed, and healed effectually, or perish everlastingly. 
Do we really know this ? Do we feel it ? Are we alive 
to our spiritual disease ? Alas ! there is but one answer 
to these questions. The bulk of mankind do not feel 
it at all. Their eyes are blinded. They are utterly 
insensible to their danger. For bodily health they crowd 
the waiting-rooms of doctors. For bodily health they 



xv. 185 

take long journeys to find purer air. But for their soul's 
health they take no thought at all. Happy indeed is 
that man or woman who has found out his soul's disease ! 
Such an one will never rest till he has found Jesus. 
Troubles will seem nothing to him. Life, life, eternal 
life is at stake. He will count all things loss that he may 
win Christ, and be healed. 

In the second place, let us remark the marvellous ease 
and poiuer with ivhich our Lord healed all who were 
brought to Him. We read that " the multitude won- 
dered when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed 
to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see ; and 
they glorified the G-od of Israel/' 

Behold in these words a lively emblem of our Lord 
Jesus Christ's power to heal sin-diseased souls ! There 
is no ailment of heart that He cannot cure. There is no 
form of spiritual complaint that He cannot overcome. 
The fever of lust, the palsy of the love of the world, 
the slow consumption of indolence and sloth, the heart- 
disease of unbelief, all, all give way when he sends forth 
His Spirit on any one of the children of men. He can 
put a new song in a sinner's mouth, and make him speak 
with love of that Gospel which he once ridiculed and 
blasphemed. He can open the eyes of a man's under- 
standing and make him see the kingdom of God. He 
can open the ears of a man and make him willing to hear 
His voice, and follow Him whithersoever He goeth. He 
can give power to a man who once walked in the broad 
way that leadeth unto destruction, to walk in the way of 
life. He can make hands that were once instruments of 
sin, serve Him and do His will. The time of miracles 



186 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

is not yet past. Every conversion is a miracle. Have 
we ever seen a real instance of conversion ? Let us 
know that we saw in it the hand of Christ. We should 
have seen nothing really greater, if we had seen our 
Lord making the dumb to speak, and the lame to walk, 
when He was on earth. 

Would we know what to do, if we desire to be saved ? 
Do we feel soul-sick and want a cure ? We must just 
go to Christ by faith and apply to Him for relief. He is 
not changed. Eighteen hundred years have made no 
difference in Him. High at the right hand of God He is 
still the great Physician. He still " receiveth sinners." 
He is still mighty to heal. 

In the third place, let us remark the abundant com- 
passion of our Lord Jesus Christ. We read that " He 
called His disciples and said, I have compassion on the 
multitude." A great crowd of men and women is always 
a solemn sight. It should stir our hearts to feel that 
each is a dying sinner, and each has a soul to be saved. 
None ever seems to have felt so much when he saw a 
crowd, as Christ. 

It is a curious and striking fact that of all the feelings 
experienced by our Lord when upon earth, there is none 
so often mentioned as " compassion." His joy, His 
sorrow, His thankfulness, His anger, His wonder, His 
zeal, are all occasionally recorded. But none of these 
feelings are so frequently mentioned as " compassion." 
The Holy Spirit seems to point out to us, that this was 
the distinguishing feature of His character, and the 
predominant feeling of His mind, when He was among 
men. Nine times over — to say nothing of expressions 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XVI. 187 

in parables — nine times over the Spirit has caused that 
word " compassion" to be written in the Gospels. 

There is something very touching and instructive in 
this circumstance. Nothing is written by chance, in the 
word of God. There is a special reason for the se- 
lection of every single expression. That word " com- 
passion," no doubt, was specially chosen for our profit. 

It ought to encourage all who are hesitating about be- 
ginning to walk in God's ways. Let them remember that 
their Saviour is full of " compassion." He will receive 
them graciously. He will forgive them freely. He will 
remember their former iniquities no more. He will 
supply all their need abundantly. Let them not be 
afraid. Christ's mercy is a deep well, of which no one 
ever found the bottom. 

It ought to comfort the saints and servants of the Lord 
when they feel weary. Let them call to mind that Jesus 
is full of " compassion." He knows what a world it is in 
which they live. He knows the body of a man and all 
its frailties. He knows the devices of their enemy, the 
devil. And the Lord pities His people. Let them not 
be cast down. They may feel that weakness, failure, and 
imperfection are stamped on all they do. But let them 
not forget that word which says, " His compassions fail 
not." (Jerem. iii. 22.) 



MATTHEW XVI. 1—12. 



1 The Pharisees also with the Sad- 
ducees came, and tempting desired 
him that lie would shew them a sign 
from heaven. 

2 He answered and said unto them, 



When it is evening, ye say, It will be 
fair weather : for the sky 'is red. 

3 And in the morning, It will le 
foul weather to day : for the sky is 
red and lowring. ye hypocrites, ye 



188 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

can discern the face of the sky ; but j why reason ye among yourselves, b&- 
can ye not discern the signs of the ' cause ye have brought no bread ? 
times ? 9 Do ye not yet understand, neither 

4 A wicked and adulterous genera- remember the five loaves of the five 
tion seeketh after a sign ; and there \ thousand, and how many baskets ye 

took up ? 

10 Neither the seven loaves of the 
four thousand, and how many baskets 
ye took up ? 

11 How is it that ye do not under- 
stand that I spake it not to you con- 
cerning bread, that ye should beware 
of the leaven of the Pharisees and of 
the Sadducees ? 

12 Then understood they how that 
he bade them not beware of the leaven 
of bread, but of the doctrine of the 
Pharisees and of the Sadducees. 



shall no sign be given unto it, but the 
sign of the prophet Jonas. And he 
left them, and departed. 

5 And when his disciples were come 
to the other side, they had forgotten 
to take bread. 

6 Then Jesus said unto them, Take 
heed and beware of the leaven of the 
Pharisees and of the Sadducees. 

7 And they reasoned among them- 
selves, saying, It is because we have 
taken no bread. 

8 Which when Jesus perceived, he 
said unto them, ye of" little faith, 



In these verses we find our Lord assailed by the untiring 
enmity of the Pharisees and Sadducees. As a general 
rule these two sects were at enmity between themselves. 
In persecuting Christ, however, they made common 
cause. Truly it was an unholy alliance ! Yet how often 
we see the same thing in the present day. Men of the 
most opposite opinions and habits will agree in disliking 
the Gospel, and will work together to oppose its pro- 
gress. " There is no new thing under the sun." (Eccles. 
IS.) 

The first point in this passage which deserves special 
notice, is the repetition which our Lord makes of words 
used by Him on a former occasion. He says, u a wicked 
and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign ; and 
there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the 
prophet Jonas." If we turn to the twelfth chapter of 
this Gospel and the 39fch verse, we shall find that He 
had said the very same thing once before. 

This repetition may seem a trilling and unimportant 
matter in the eyes of some. But it is not so in reality. 



189 

It throws light on a subject, which has perplexed the 
minds of many sincere lovers of the Bible, and ought 
therefore to be specially observed. 

This repetition shows us that our Lord was in the 
habit of saying the same things over again. He did not 
content Himself with saying a thing once, and afterwards 
never repeating it. It is evident that it was His custom 
to bring forward certain truths again and again, and thus 
to impress them more deeply on the minds of His disci- 
ples. He knew the weakness of our memories in spiritual 
things. He knew that what we hear twice, we remember 
better than what we hear once. He therefore brought 
out of His treasury old things as well as new. 

Now what does all this teach us ? It teaches us that 
we need not be so anxious to harmonize the narratives 
we read in the four Gospels, as many are disposed to be. 
It does not follow that the sayings of our Lord, which we 
find the same in St. Matthew and St. Luke, were always 
used at the same time, or that the events with which 
they are connected must necessarily be the same. — St. 
Matthew may be describing one event in our Lord's life. 
St. Luke may be describing another. And yet the words 
of our Lord, on both occasions, may have been precisely 
alike. — To attempt to make out the two events to be one 
and the same, because of the sameness of the words used, 
i has often led Bible students into great difficulties. It is 
far safer to hold the view here maintained, that at difTer- 
i 3nt times our Lord often used the same words. 

The second point which deserves special notice in these 
verses is, the solemn learning which our Lord takes occa- 
sion to give to His disciples. His mind was evidently 



190 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

pained with the false doctrines which He saw among the 
Jews, and the pernicious influence which they exercised. 
He seizes the opportunity to utter a caution. " Take 
heed, and heware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the 
Sadducees." Let us mark well what those words contain. 

To whom was this warning addressed ? To the twelve 
apostles, — to the first ministers of the Church of Christ, 
— to men who had forsaken all for the Gospel's sake ! 
Even they are warned ! The best of men are only men, 
and at any time may fall into temptation. u Let him 
that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall." If we 
love life, and would see good clays, let us never think that 
we do not need that hint, " take heed, and beware." 

Against what does our Lord warn His apostles ? 
Against the " doctrine" of the Pharisees and of the Sad- 
ducees. The Pharisees, we are frequently told in the 
Gospels, were self-righteous formalists. The Sadducees 
were sceptics, freethinkers, and half infidels. Yet even 
Peter, James, and John must beware of their doctrines ! 
Truly the best and holiest of believers may well be on 
his guard ! 

By what figure does our Lord describe the false 
doctrines against which He cautions His disciples ? He 
calls them leaven. Like leaven, they might seem a small 
thing compared to the whole body of truth. Like leaven, 
once admitted they would work secretly and noiselessly. 
Like leaven, they would gradually change the whole 
character of the religion with which they were mixed. 
How much is often contained in a single word ! It was 
not merely the open danger of heresy, but " leaven," of 
which the apostles were to beware. 



191 

There is much in all this that calls loudly for the close 
attention of all professing Christians. The caution of 
our Lord in this passage has heen shamefully neglected. 
It would have been well for the church of Christ, if the 
warnings of the G-ospel had been as much studied as its 
promises. 

Let us then remember that this saying of our Lord's 
about the " leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees" was 
intended for all time. It was not meant only for the 
generation to which it was spoken. It was meant for the 
perpetual benefit of the Church of Christ. He who 
spoke it saw with prophetical eye the future history of 
Christianity. The Great Physician knew well that 
Pharisee-doctrines and Sadducee-doctrines would prove 
the two great wasting diseases of His Church, until the 
end of the world. He would have us know that there 
will always be Pharisees and Sadducees in the ranks of 
Christians. Their succession shall never fail. Their 
generation shall never become extinct. Their name may 
change, but their spirit will always remain. Therefore 
He cries to us, " take heed and beware/' 

Finally, let us make a personal use of this caution, by 
keeping up a holy jealousy over our own souls. Let us 
remember, that we live in a world where Pharisaism and 
Sadduceeism are continually striving for the mastery in 
the Church of Christ. Some want to add to the G-ospel, 
and some want to take away from it. Some would bury it, 
and some would pare it down to nothing. Some would 
stifle it by heaping on additions, and some would bleed 
it to death by subtraction from its truths. Both parties 
agree only in one respect. Both would kill and destroy 



192 



EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 



the life of Christianity, if they succeeded in having their 
own way. Against both errors let us watch and pray, 
and stand upon our guard. Let us not add to the Gos- 
pel, to please the Horn an Catholic Pharisee. Let us 
not subtract from the Gospel, to please the Neologian 
Sadducee. Let our principle be " the truth, the whole 
truth, and nothing but the truth/ 



nothing added to it, 



and nothing taken away. 



MATTHEW XVI. 13—20. 



13 When Jesus came into the coasts 
of Caesarea Philippi, lie asked his dis- 
ciples, saying, Whom do men say that 
I the Son of man am ? 

14 And they said, Some say that 
thou art John the Baptist : some, 
Elias ; and others, Jeremias, or one 
of the prophets. 

15 He saith unto them, But whom 
say ye that I am ? 

16 And Simon Peter answered and 
said. Thou art the Christ, the Son of 
the living God. 

17 And Jesus answered and said, 
unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon 
Bar-jona : for flesh and blood hath 



not revealed it unto thee, but my 
Father which is in heaven. 

18 And I say also unto thee, That 
thou art Peter, and upon this rock I 
will build my Church ; and the gates 
of hell shall not prevail against it. 

19 And I will give unto thee the 
keys of the kingdom of heaven : and 
whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth 
shall be bound in heaven : and what- 
soever thou shalt loose on earth shall 
be loosed in heaven. 

20 Then charged he his disciples 
that they should tell no man that he 
was Jesus the Christ. 



There are words in this passage which have led to pain- 
ful differences and divisions among Christians. Men 
have striven and contended about their meaning, till they 
have lost sight of all charity, and yet failed to carry con- 
viction to one another's minds. Let it suffice us to glance 
briefly at the controverted words, and then pass on to 
more practical lessons. 

What then are we to understand, when we read that 
remarkable saying of our Lord's, " Thou art Peter, and 
upon this rock I will build my Church ?" Does it mean 
that the apostle Peter himself was to be the foundation on 



193 

which Christ's Church was to be built ? Such an interpre- 
tation, to say the least, appears exceedingly improbable. 
To speak of an erring, fallible child of Adam as the 
foundation of the spiritual temple, is very unlike the 
ordinary language of Scripture. Above all, no reason 
can be given why our Lord should not have said, " I 
will build my church upon thee," — if such had been His 
meaning, — instead of saying, "I will build my church 
upon this rock" 

The true meaning of " the rock" in this passage ap- 
pears to be the truth of our Lord's Messiahship and divin- 
ity, which Peter had just confessed. It is as though our 
Lord had said, " Thou art rightly called by the name 
Peter, or stone, for thou hast confessed that mighty 
truth, on which, as on a rock, I will build my church."* 

But what are we to understand, when we read the 
promise which our Lord makes to Peter, " I will give 
unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven ?" Do 
these words mean that the right of admitting souls to 
heaven was to be placed in Peter's hands ? The idea is 
preposterous. Such an office is the special prerogative 
of Christ Himself. (Rev. i. 18.) Do the words mean that 

* There is nothing modern, or peculiarly Protestant in the view 
here maintained. It was held by Chrysostom long ago. It was taught 
by Ferus, a famous Roman Catholic preacher, of the Franciscan order, 
at Mayence, in the sixteenth century, in his Homilies on St. Matthew. 

It may be well to remark in this place, that it is a complete delu- 
sion to suppose that the Scriptures can be interpreted according to the 
u unanimous consent of the Fathers." There is no such unanimous con- 
sent. It is a mere high-sounding phrase, utterly destitute of any foun- 
dation in facts. The Fathers disagree as much in explaining Scrip- 
ture, as Whitby and Grill, or Matthew Henry and D'Oyly and Mant. 

9 



194 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

Peter was to have any primacy or superiority over the 
rest of the apostles ? There is not the slightest proof 
that such a meaning was attached to the words in the 
New Testament times, or that Peter had any rank or 
dignity ahove the rest of the twelve. 

The true meaning of the promise to Peter appears to 
be, that he was to have the special privilege of first open- 
ing the door of salvation, both to the Jews and Gentiles. 
This was fulfilled to the letter, when he preached on the 
day of Pentecost to the Jews, and visited the Gentile 
Cornelius at his own house. On each occasion he used 
"•the keys," and threw open the door of faith. And of 
this he seems to have been sensible himself : " God/' he 
says, " made choice among us, that by my mouth the 
Gentiles should hear the word of the Gospel, and be- 
lieve." (Acts xv. 7.) 

Finally, what are we to understand, when we read the 
words, " Whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be 
bound in heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt loose on 
earth shall be loosed in heaven ?" Does this mean that 
the apostle Peter was to have any power of forgiving 
sins, and absolving sinners ? Such an idea is derogatory 
to Christ's special office, as our Great High Priest. It is 
a power which we never find Peter, or any of the apos- 
tles, once exercising. They always refer men to Christ. 

The true meaning of this promise appears to be, that 
Peter and his brethren, the apostles, were to be specially 
commissioned to teach with authority the way of salva- 
tion. As the Old Testament priest declared authorita- 
tively whose leprosy was cleansed, so the apostles were 
appointed to u declare and pronounce" authoritatively, 



195 

whose sins were forgiven. — Beside this, they were to be 
specially inspired to lay down rules and regulations for 
the guidance of the Church on disputed questions. 
Some things they were to " bind" or forbid ; — others 
they were to " loose" or allow. The decision of the 
council at Jerusalem, that the Gentiles need not be cir- 
cumcised, was one example of the exercise of this power 
(Acts xvi. 19.) But it was a commission specially con- 
fined to the apostles. In discharging it they had no 
successors. With them it began, and with them it ex- 
pired. 

We will leave these controverted words here. Enough 
perhaps has been said upon them for our personal edifica- 
tion. Let us only remember that, in whatever sense men 
take them, they have nothing to do with the Church of 
Koine. Let us now turn our attention to points which 
more immediately concern our own souls. 

In the first place, let us admire the noble confession 
which the apostle Peter makes in this passage. He says, 
in reply to our Lord's question, " Whom say ye that I 
am ?' '—" Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." 

At first sight a careless reader may see nothing very 
remarkable in these words of the apostle. He may 
think it extraordinary that they should call forth such 
strong commendation from our Lord. But such thoughts 
arise from ignorance and inconsideration. Men forget 
that it is a widely different thing to believe in Christ's 
divine mission, when we dwell in the midst of professing 
Christians, and to believe in it when we dwell in the 
midst of hardened and unbelieving Jews. The glory of 
Peter's confession lies in this, that he made it when few 



196 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

were with Christ and many against Him. He made it 
when the rulers of his own nation, the Scribes, and 
Priests, and Pharisees, were all opposed to his Master. 
He made it when our Lord was in the "form of a servant," 
without wealth, without royal dignity, without any visible 
marks of a King. To make such a confession at such a 
time, required great faith and great decision of character. 
The confession itself, as Brentius says, " was an epitome 
of all Christianity, and a compendium of true doctrine 
about religion." Therefore it was that our Lord said, 
" Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona." 

We shall do well to copy .that hearty zeal and 
affection which Peter here displayed. We are perhaps 
too much disposed to underrate this holy man, because of 
his occasional instability, and his thrice-repeated denial 
of his Lord. This is a great mistake. With all his faults, 
Peter was a true-hearted, fervent, single-minded servant 
of Christ. With all his imperfections, he has given us a 
pattern that many Christians would do wisely to follow. 
Zeal like his may have its ebbs and flows, and some- 
times lack steadiness of purpose. Zeal like his may be 
ill-directed, and sometimes make sad mistakes. But 
zeal like his is not to be despised. It awakens the sleep- 
ing. It stirs the sluggish. It provokes others to ex- 
ertion. Anything is better than sluggishness, luke- 
warmness, and torpor, in the Church of Christ. Happy 
would it have been for Christendom had there been more 
Christians like Peter and Martin Luther, and fewer like 
Erasmus. 

In the next place, let us take care that we understand 
ivhat our Lord means when He speaks of His Church. 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XVI. 197 

The Church which Jesus promises to build upon a rock, 
is the " blessed company of all faithful people/' It is not 
the visible church of any one nation, or country, or place. 
It is the whole body of believers of every age, and 
tongue, and people. It is a church composed of all who 
are washed in Christ's blood, clothed in Christ's right- 
eousness, renewed by Christ's Spirit, joined to Christ by 
faith, and epistles of Christ in life. It is a church of 
which every member is baptized with the Holy Ghost, 
and is really and truly holy. It is a church which is 
one body. All who belong to it are of one heart and 
one mind, hold the same truths, and believe the same 
doctrines as necessary to salvation. It is a church which 
has only one Head. That head is Jesus Christ Himself. 
" He is the head of the body." (Col. i. 18.) 

Let us beware of mistakes on this subject. Few words 
are so much misunderstood as the word " Church." 
Few mistakes have so much injured the cause of pure 
religion. Ignorance on this point has been a fertile 
source of bigotry, sectarianism, and persecution. Men 
have wrangled and contended about Episcopal, Pres- 
byterian, and Independent Churches, as if it were 
needful to' salvation to belong to some particular party, 
and as if, belonging to that party, we must of course 
belong to Christ. And all this time they have lost sight 
of the one true Church, outside of which there is no 
salvation at all. It will matter nothing at the last day 
where we have worshipped, if we are not found members 
of the true Church of God's elect. 

In the last place, let us mark the glorious promises 
which our Lord makes to His Church : He says, " the 
gates of hell shall not prevail against it." 



198 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

The meaning of this promise is, that the power of 
Satan shall never destroy the people of Christ. He that 
brought sin and death into the first creation, by tempting 
Eve, shall never bring ruin on the new creation, by over- 
throwing believers. The mystical body of Christ shall 
never perish or decay. Though often persecuted, afflicted, 
distressed, and brought low, it shall never come to an 
end. It shall outlive the wrath of Pharaohs and Eoman 
Emperors. Visible churches, like Ephesus, may come to 
nothing. But the true Church never dies. Like the 
bush that Moses saw, it may burn, but shall not be con- 
sumed. Every member of it shall be brought safe to 
glory. In spite of falls, failures, and short-comings — in 
spite of the world, the flesh, and the devil — no member 
of the true Church shall ever be cast away. (John x. 28.) 



MATTHEW XVI. 21—23. 



21 From that time forth "began 
Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how 
that he must go unto Jerusalem, and 
suffer many things of the elders and 
Chief Priests and Scribes, and be 
killed, and be raised again the third 
day. 

22 Then Peter took him, and began 



to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from 
thee, Lord : this shall not he unto 
thee. 

23 But he turned, and said unto 
Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan : 
thou art an offence unto me : for thou 
savorest not the things that be of God, 
but those that be of men. 



In the beginning of these verses we find our Lord 
revealing to His disciples a great and startling truth. 
That truth was His approaching death upon the cross. 
For the first time He places before their minds the 
astounding announcement, that " He must go to Jeru- 
salem, and suffer — and be killed." He had not come on 
earth to take a kingdom, but to die. He had not come 
to reign, and be ministered to, but to shed His blood as 
a sacrifice, and to give His life as a ransom for many. 



199 

It is almost impossible for us to conceive bow strange 
and incomprehensible these tidings must have seemed to 
His disciples. Like most of the Jews, they could form 
no idea of a suffering Messiah. They did not under- 
stand that the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah must be 
literally fulfilled. They did not see that the sacrifices of 
the law were all meant to point them to the death of the 
true Lamb of God. They thought of nothing but the 
second glorious coming of Messiah, which is yet to take 
place at the end of the world. They thought so much 
of Messiah's crown, that they lost sight of His cross. 
We shall do well to remember this. A right understand- 
ing of this matter throws strong light on the lessons which 
this passage contains. 

We learn, in the first place, from these verses, that 
there may be much spiritual ignorance even in a true 
disciple of Christ. 

We cannot have a clearer proof of this, than the con- 
duct of the apostle Peter in this passage. He tries to 
dissuade our Lord from suffering on the cross. " Be it 
far from thee," he says, " this shall not be unto thee/' 
He did not see the full purpose of our Lord's coming 
into the world. His eyes were blinded to the necessity 
of our Lord's death. He actually did what he could, to 
prevent that death taking place at all ! And yet we 
know that Peter was a converted man. He really be- 
lieved that Jesus was the Messiah. His heart was 
right in the sight of God. 

These things are meant to teach us that we must 
neither regard good men as infallible, because they are 
good men, nor yet suppose they have no grace, because 



200 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

their grace is weak and small. One brother may possess 
singular gifts, and be a bright and shining light in the 
Church of Christ. But let us not forget that he is a man, 
and as a man liable to commit great mistakes. — Another 
brother's knowledge may be scanty. He may fail to 
judge rightly on many points of doctrine. He may err 
both in word and deed. But has he faith and love 
towards Christ ? Does he hold the Head ? If so, let 
us deal patiently with him. What he sees not now, he 
may see hereafter. Like Peter, he may now be in the 
dark, and yet, like Peter, enjoy one day the full light of 
the Gospel. 

Let us learn, in the second place, from these verses, 
that there is no doctrine of Scripture so deeply import- 
ant as the doctrine of Christ's atoning death. 

We cannot have clearer proof of this, than the 
language used by our Lord in rebuking Peter. He ad- 
dresses him by the awful name of " Satan," as if he was 
an adversary, and doing the devil's work, in trying to 
prevent His death. He says to him, whomhe had so lately 
called "blessed," " Get thee behind me, thou art an of- 
fence unto me." He tells the man whose noble confes- 
sion he had just commended so highly, " Thou savorest 
not the things that be of God, but those that be of 
men." Stronger words than these never fell from our 
Lord's lips. The error that drew from so loving a Sa- 
viour such a stern rebuke to such a true disciple, must 
have been a mighty error indeed. 

The truth is, that our Lord would have us re- 
gard the crucifixion as the central truth of Christianity. 
Eight views of His vicarious death, and the benefits 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XVI. 201 

resulting from it, lie at the very foundation of Bible- 
religion. Never let us forget this. On matters of church 
government; and the form of worship, men may differ 
from us, and yet reach heaven in safety. On the matter 
of Christ's atoning death, as the way of peace, truth is 
only one. If we are wrong here, we are ruined for ever. 
Error on many points is only a skin disease. Error 
about Christ's death is a disease at the heart. Here let 
us take our stand. Let nothing move us from this 
ground. The sum of all our hopes must be, that " Christ 
has died for us/' (1 Thess. v. 10.) Give up that doc- 
trine, and we have no solid hope at all. 



MATTHEW XVI. 24-28. 



24 Then said Jesus unto his disci- 

J)les, If any man will come after me, 
et him deny himself, and take up his 
cross, and follow me. 

25 For whosoever will save his life 
shall lose it : and whosoever will lose 
his life for my sake shall find it. 

26 For what is a man profited, if 
he shall gain the whole world, and 



lose his own soul? or what shall a 
man give in exchange for his soul ? 

27 For the Son of man shall come 
in the glory of his Father with his 
angels : and then he shall reward 
every man according to his works. 

28 Verily I say unto you, There he 
some standing here, which shall not 
taste of death, till they see the Son 
of man coming in his kingdom. 



In order to see the connection of these verses, we must 
remember the mistaken impressions of our Lord's disciples 
as to the purpose of His coming into the world. Like 
Peter, they could not bear the idea of the crucifixion. 
They thought that Jesus had come to set up an earthly 
kingdom. They di^. not see that He must needs suffer 
and die. They dreamed of worldly honors and temporal 
rewards in their Master's service. They did not under- 
stand that true Christians, like Christ, must be made 
perfect through sufferings. Our Lord corrects these mis- 
apprehensions in words of peculiar solemnity, which we 
shall do well to lay up in our hearts. 



202 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

Let us learn, in the first place, from these verses, that 
men must make up their minds to trouble and self-denial, 
if they follow Christ. 

Our Lord dispels the fond dreams of His disciples, by 
telling them that His followers must " take up the cross/' 
The glorious kingdom they were expecting, was not 
about to he set up immediately. They must make up 
their minds to persecution and affliction, if they intended 
to he His servants. They must he content to " lose their 
lives," if they would have their souls saved. 

It is good for us all to see this point clearly. We 
must not conceal from ourselves that true Christianity 
brings with it a daily cross in this life, while it offers us 
a crown of glory in the life to come. The flesh must be 
daily crucified. The devil must be daily resisted. The 
world must be easily overcome. There is a warfare to be 
waged, and a battle to be fought. All this is the insepa- 
rable accompaniment of true religion. Heaven is not to 
be won without it. Never was there a truer word than 
the old saying, " No cross, no crown V If we never 
found this out by experience, our souls are in a poor 
condition. 

Let us learn, in the second place, from these verses, 
that there is nothing so precious as a man's soul. 

Our Lord teaches this lesson by asking one of the most 
solemn questions that the New Testament contains. It 
is a question so well known, and so often repeated, 
that people often lose sight of its searching character. 
But it is a question that ought to sound in our ears 
like a trumpet, whenever we are tempted to neglect our 
eternal interests : " What shall it profit a man if he gain 
the whole world and lose his own soul ?" 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XVI. 203 

There can only be one answer to this question. There 
is nothing on earth, or under the earth, that can make 
amends to us for the loss of our souls. There is nothing 
that money can buy, or man can give, to be named in 
comparison with our souls. The world, and all that it 
contains is temporal. It is all fading, perishing, and 
passing away. The soul is eternal. That one single 
word is the key to the whole question. Let it sink down 
deeply into our hearts. Are we wavering in our re- 
ligion ? Do we fear the cross ? Does the way seem too 
narrow ? Let our Master's words ring in our ears, 
" What shall it profit a man ?" and let us doubt no more. 

Let us learn, in the last place, that the second coming 
of Christ is the time ivhen Sis people shall receive their 
rewards. u The Son of Man shall come in the glory of 
His Father, and then shall he reward, every man accord- 
ing to his works/' 

There is deep wisdom in this saying of our Lord's, 
when viewed in connection with the preceding verses. He 
knows the heart of a man. He knows how soon we are 
ready to be cast down, and like Israel of old to be "discour- 
aged by the way." (Num. xxi.4.) He therefore holds out to 
us a gracious promise. He reminds us that He has yet to 
come a second time, as surely as He came the first time. 
He tells us that this is the time when His disciples shall 
receive their good things. There will be glory, honor, 
and reward in abundance one day for all who have served 
and loved Jesus. But it is to be in the dispensation of 
the second advent, and not of the first. The bitter must 
come before the sweet, the cross before the crown. The 
first advent is the dispensation of the crucifixion. The 



204 



EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 



second advent is the dispensation of the kingdom. We 
must submit to take part with our Lord in His humilia- 
tion, if we mean ever to share in his glory. 

And now let us not leave these verses without serious 
self-inquiry as to the matters which they contain. 
We have heard of the necessity of taking up the 
cross, and denying ourselves. Have we taken it up, 
and are we carrying it daily ? — We have heard of the 
value of the soul. Do we live as if we believed it ? — 
We have heard of Christ's secorld advent. Do we look 
forward to it with hope and joy ? — Happy is that man 
who can give a satisfactory answer to these questions. 



MATTHEW XVII. 1—13. 



1 And after six days Jesus taketh 
Peter, James, and John his brother, 
and bringeth them up into an high 
mountain apart. 

2 And was transfigured before 
them : and his face diet shine as the 
sun, and his raiment was white as the 
light. 

3 And, behold, there appeared unto 
them Moses and Elias talking with 
him. 

4 Then answered Peter, and said 
unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to 
be here: if thou wilt, let us make 
here three tabernacles ; one for thee, 
and one for Moses, and one for Elias. 

5 While he yet. spake, behold, a 
bright cloud overshadowed them : and 
behold a voice out of the cloud, which 
said, This is my beloved Son, in whom 
I am well pleased ; hear ye him. 

6 And when the disciples heard it, 
they fell on their face, and were sore 
afraid. 



7 And Jesus came and touched them 
and said, Arise, and be not afraid. 

8 And when they had lifted up their 
eyes, theysawnoman, save Jesus only. 

9 And as they came down from the 
mountain, Jesus charged them, say- 
ing, Tell the vision to no man, until 
the Son of man be risen again from 
the dead. 

10 And his disciples asked him, 
saying, Why then say the Scribes that 
Elias must first come ? 

11 And Jesus answered and said 
unto them, Elias truly shall first come, 

i and restore all things. 

12 But I say unto you, That Elias 
I is come already, and they knew him 
' not, but have done unto him whatso- 
' ever they listed. Likewise shall also 

the Son of man suffer of them. 

13 Then the disciples understood 

1 that he spake unto them of John the 
Baptist. 



These verses contain one of the most remarkable events 
in our Lord's earthly ministry, — the event commonly 



205 

called the transfiguration. The order in which it is 
recorded is beautiful and instructive. The latter part of 
the last chapter shows us the cross. Here we are 
graciously allowed to see something of the coming 
reward. The hearts which have just been saddened by 
a plain statement of Christ's sufferings, are at once 
gladdened by a vision of Christ's glory. Let us mark 
this. We often lose much by not tracing the connection 
between chapter and chapter in the word of God. 

There are some mysterious things, no doubt, in the 
vision here described. It must needs be so. We are 
yet in the body. Our senses are conversant with gross 
and material things. Our ideas and perceptions about 
glorified bodies and dead saints, must necessarily be vague 
and imperfect. Let us content ourselves with endeavor- 
ing to mark out the practical lessons which the trans- 
figuration is meant to teach us. 

In the first place, we have in these verses a striking 
pattern of the glory in which Christ and his people toill 
appear ivhen He comes the second time. 

There can be little question that this was one main 
object of this wonderful vision. It was meant to en- 
courage the disciples, by giving them a glimpse of good 
things yet to come. That " face shining as the sun," and 
that " raiment white as the light," were intended to give 
the disciples some idea of the majesty in which Jesus 
will appear to the world, when He comes the second 
time, and all His saints with Him. The corner of the 
veil was lifted up, to show them their Master's true 
dignity. They were taught that, if He did not yet 
appear to the world in the guise of a king, it was only 



206 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

because the time for putting on His royal apparel was 
not yet come. It is impossible to draw any other con- 
clusion from St. Peter's language, when writing on the 
subject. He says, with distinct reference to the transfigu- 
ration, " We were eye-witnesses of his majesty." (2 Peter 
i. 16.) 

It is good for us to have the coming glory of Christ 
and His people deeply impressed on our minds. We are 
sadly apt to forget it. There are few visible indications 
of it in the world. — We see not yet all things put under 
our Lord's feet. Sin, unbelief, and superstition abound. 
Thousands are practically saying, "We will not have 
this man to reign over us." — It doth not yet appear 
what His people shall be. Their crosses, their tribula- 
tions, their weaknesses, their conflicts, are all manifest 
enough. But there are few signs of their future reward. 
Let us beware of giving way to doubts in this matter. 
Let us silence such doubts by reading over the history of 
the transfiguration. There is laid up for Jesus, and all 
that believe on Him, such glory as the heart of man never 
conceived. It is not only promised, but part of it has 
actually been seen by three competent witnesses. One 
of them says, "we beheld his glory, the glory as of 
the only begotten of the Father." (John i. 14.) Surely 
that which has been seen may well be believed. 

In the second place, we have in these verses, an unan- 
swerable proof of the resurrection of the body, and the 
life after death. We are told that Moses and Elijah ap- 
peared visibly in glory with Christ. They were seen in 
a bodily form. They were heard talking with our Lord. 
Fourteen hundred and eighty years had rolled round, since 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XVII. 207 

Moses died and was buried. More than nine hundred 
years had passed away, since Elijah " went up by a 
whirlwind into heaven." Yet here they are seen alive 
by Peter, James, and John ! 

Let us lay firm hold on this part of the vision. It 
deserves close attention. We must all feel, if we ever 
think at all 3 that the state of the dead is a wonderful 
and mysterious subject. One after another we bury them 
out of our sight. We lay them in their narrow beds, 
and see them no more, and their bodies become dust. 
But will they really live again ? Shall we really see 
them any more ? Will the grave really give back the 
dead at the last day ? These are questions that will 
occasionally come across the minds of some, in spite of 
all the plainest statements in the word of God. 

Now we have in the transfiguration the clearest 
evidence that the dead will rise again. We find two 
men appearing on earth, in their bodies, who had long 
been separate from the land of the living — and in them 
we have a pledge of the resurrection of all. All that 
have ever lived upon earth will again be called to life, 
and render up their account. Not one will be found 
missing. There is no such thing as annihilation. All 
that have ever fallen asleep in Christ will be found in 
safe keeping — patriarchs, prophets, apostles, martyrs — 
down to the humblest servant of God in our own 
day. Though unseen to us, they all live to God. " He is 
not a God of the dead, but of the living." (Luke xx. 20.) 
Their spirits live as surely as we live ourselves, and will 
appear hereafter in glorified bodies, as surely as Moses 
and Elijah in the mount. These are indeed solemn 



208 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

thoughts ! There is a resurrection, and men like Felix 
may well tremble. There is a resurrection, and men 
like Paul may well rejoice. 

In the last place, we have in these verses a remark- 
able testimony to Christ's infinite superiority over all 
that are born of woman. 

This is a point which is brought out strongly by the 
voice from heaven, which the disciples heard. Peter, 
bewildered by the heavenly vision, and not knowing 
what to say, proposed to build three tabernacles, one for 
Christ, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. He seemed in 
fact to place the law-giver and the prophet side by side 
with his divine Master, as if all three were equal. At 
once, we are told, the proposal was rebuked in a marked 
manner. — A cloud covered Moses and Elijah, and they 
were no more seen. — A voice at the same time came 
forth from the cloud, repeating the solemn words, made 
use of at our Lord's baptism, " This is my beloved Son, 
in whom I am well pleased : hear ye Him." That voice 
was meant to teach Peter, that there was one there far 
greater than Moses or Elijah. Moses was a faithful 
servant of God. Elijah was a bold witness for the truth. 
But Christ was far above either one or the other. He 
was the Saviour to whom law and prophets were con- 
tinually pointing. He was the true Prophet, whom all 
were commanded to hear. (Deut. xviii. 15.) Moses and 
Elijah were great men in their day. But Peter and his 
companions were to remember, that in nature, dignity, 
and office, they were far below Christ. — He was the true 
sun : they were the stars depending daily on His light. — ■ 
He was the root : they were the branches. — He was the 



209 

Master : they were the servants. — Their goodness was all 
derived : His was original and His own. — Let them 
honor Moses and the prophets, as holy men. But if 
they would be saved, they must take Christ alone for 
their Master, and glory only in Him. " Hear ye Him." 

Let us see in these words a striking lesson to the 
whole Church of Christ. There is a constant tendency 
in human nature to " hear man." Bishops, priests, dea- 
cons, popes, cardinals, councils, presbyterian preachers, 
and independent ministers, are continually exalted to a 
place which Grod never intended them to fill, and made 
practically to usurp the honor of Christ. Against this 
tendency let us all watch, and he on our guard. Let 
these solemn words of the vision ever ring in our ears, 
" Hear ye Christ." 

The best of men are only men at their very best. 
Patriarchs, prophets, and apostles — martyrs, fathers, 
reformers, puritans — all, all are sinners, who need a 
Saviour— holy, useful, honorable in their place — but 
sinners after all. They must never be allowed to stand 
between us and Christ. He alone is " the Son, in whom 
the Father is well pleased." He alone is sealed and 
appointed to give the bread of life. He alone has the 
keys in His hands, " Grod over all, blessed for ever." Let 
us take heed that we hear His voice, and follow Him. 
Let us value all religious teaching just in proportion as it 
leads us to Jesus. The sum and substance of saving 
religion is to " hear Christ." 



210 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 



MATTHEW XVII. 14—21. 



14 And when they were come to 
the multitude, there came to him a 
certain man, kneeling down to him, 
and saying, 

15 iiord, have mercy on my son : 
for he is lunatic, and sore vexed : 
for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, 
and oft into the water. 

16 And I brought him to thy dis- 
ciples, and they could not cure him. 

17 Then Jesus answered and said, 
O faithless and perverse generation, 
how long shall 1 be with you ? how 
long shall I suffer you ? bring him 
hither to me. 

18 And Jesus rebuked the devil; 



and he departed out of him : and the 
child was cured from that very hour. 

19 Then came the disciples to Jesus 
apart, and said, Why could not we 
cast him out ? 

20 And Jesus said unto them, Be- 
cause of your unbelief: for verily I 
say unto you, If ye have faith as a 
grain of mustard seed, ye shall say 
unto this mountain, Remove hence 
to yonder place ; and it shall remove ; 
and nothing shall be impossible unto 
you. 

21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out 
but by prayer and fasting. 



We read in this passage another of our Lord's great 
miracles. He heals a young man lunatic and possessed 
with a devil. 

The first thing we see in these verses is a lively emblem 
of the aivful influence sometimes exercised by Satan over 
the young. We are told of a certain man's son, who 
was " lunatic and sore vexed." We are told of the evil 
spirit pressing him on to the destruction of hody and 
soul. " Oft-times he falleth into the fire, and oft into 
the water." It was one of those cases of Satanic pos- 
session, which, however common in our Lord's times, in 
our own day is rarely seen. But we can easily imagine 
that, when they did occur, they must have been peculiarly 
distressing to the relations of the afflicted. It is painful 
enough to see the bodies of those we love racked by dis- 
ease. How much more painful must it have been to see 
body and mind completely under the influence of the 
devil. " Out of hell," says Bishop Hall, " there could 
not be geater misery." 

But we must not forget that there are many instances 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XV 11. 211 

of Satan's spiritual dominion over young people ; which 
are quite as painful, in their way, as the case described in 
this passage. There are thousands of young men who 
seem to have wholly given themselves up to Satan's 
temptations, and to be led captive at his will. They 
cast off all fear of G-od, and all respect for His command- 
ments. They serve divers lusts and pleasures. They 
run wildly into every excess of riot. They refuse to 
listen to the advice of parents, teachers, or ministers. 
They fling aside all regard for health, character, or 
worldly respectability. They do all that lies in their 
power to ruin themselves, body and soul, for time and 
eternity. They are willing bondslaves of Satan. — Who 
has not seen such young men ? They are to be seen in 
town and in country. They are to be found among rich 
and among poor. Surely such young men give mournful 
proof, that although Satan now-a-days seldom has pos- 
session of man's body, he still exercises a fearful dominion 
over some men's souls. 

Yet even about such young men as these, be it remem- 
bered, we must never despair. We must call to mind 
the almighty power of our Lord Jesus Christ. Bad as 
this boy's case was, of whom we read in these verses, he 
was " cured from the very hour" that he was brought 
to Christ ! Parents, and teachers, and ministers should 
go on praying for young men, even at their worst. Hard 
as their hearts seem now, they may yet be softened. 
Desperate as their wickedness now appears, they may 
yet be healed. They may yet repent, and be converted, 
like John Newton, and their last state prove better than 
their first. Who can tell ? Let it be a settled principle 



212 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

with us, when we read our Lord's miracles, never to 
despair of the conversion of any soul. 

In the second place, we see in these verses a striking 
example of the weakening effect of unbelief. The dis- 
ciples anxiously inquired of our Lord, when they saw the 
devil yielding to his power, "Why could not we cast him 
out ?" They received an answer full of the deepest 
instruction — " because of your unbelief." Would they 
know the secret of their own sad failure in the hour of 
need ? It was want of faith. 

Let us ponder this point well, and learn wisdom. 
Faith is the key to success in the Christian warfare. 
Unbelief is the sure road to defeat. Once let our faith 
languish and decay, and all our graces will languish with 
it. Courage, patience, long-suffering, and hope, will 
soon wither and dwindle away. Faith is the root on 
which they all depend. The same Israelites who at one 
time went through the Red Sea in triumph, at another 
time shrunk from danger, like cowards, when they reached 
the borders of the promised land. Their God was the 
same who had brought them out of the land of Egypt. 
Their leader was that same Moses who had wrought so 
many wonders before their eyes. But their faith was 
not the same. They gave way to shameful doubts of 
God's love and power. " They could not enter in be- 
cause of unbelief." (Heb. iii. 19.) 

In the last place, we see in these verses that Satan's 
kingdom is not to be 'pulled down without diligence and 
pains. This seems to be the lesson of the verse which 
concludes the passage we are now considering : " This 
kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting." A 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XVII. 213 

gentle rebuke to the disciples appears to be implied in 
the words. Perhaps they had been too much lifted up 
by past successes. Perhaps they had been less carefu] 
in the use of means in their Master's absence, than they 
were under their Master's eye. At any rate they receive 
a plain hint from our Lord, that the warfare against 
Satan must never be lightly carried on. They are 
warned that no victories are to be won easily over the 
prince of this world. Without fervent prayer, and 
diligent self-mortification, they would often meet with 
failure and defeat. 

The lesson here laid down is one of deep importance. 
" I would," says Bullinger, " that this part of the Gospel 
pleased us as much as those parts which concede liberty." 
We are all apt to contract a habit of doing religious acts 
in a thoughtless, perfunctory way. Like Israel, puffed 
up with the fall of Jericho, we are ready to say to our- 
selves, " The men of Ai are but few ;" (Josh. vii. 3 ;) 
"there is no need to put forth all our strength." Like 
Israel, we often learn by bitter experience, that spiritual 
battles are not to be won without hard fighting. The 
ark of the Lord must never be handled irreverently. 
God's work must never be carelessly done. 

May we all bear in mind our Lord's words to His disci- 
ples, and make a practical use of them. In the pulpit, and 
on the platform, — in the Sunday school, and in the dis- 
trict, — in our use of family prayers, and in reading our 
own Bibles, — let us diligently watch our own spirit. 
Whatever we do, let us " do it with our might." (Eccles. 
ix. 10.) It is a fatal mistake to underrate ourfoes. Greater 
is He that is for us than he that is against us — -but, for all 



214 



EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 



that, he that is against us is not to be despised. He is the 
prince of this world. He is a strong man armed, keeping 
his house, who will not " go out," and part with his goods 
without a struggle. We wrestle not against flesh and 
blood, but against principalities and powers. We have 
need to take the whole armor of Grod, and not only to take 
it, but to use it too. We may be very sure that those who 
win most victories over the world, the flesh, and the devil, 
are those who pray most in private, and " keep under their 
bodies, and bring them into subjection." (1 Cor. ix. 27.) 



MATTHEW XVII. 22—27. 



22 And while they abode in Galilee, 
Jesus said unto them, TheSonof man 
shall be betrayed into the hands of 
men: 

23 And they shall kill him, and the 
third day he shall be raised again. 
And they were exceeding sorry. 

24 And when they were come to 
Capernaum, they that received tri- 
bute money came to Peter, and said, 
Doth not your master pay tribute ? 

25 He saitb, Yes. And when he 
was come into the house, Jesus pre- 
vented him, saying, What thinkest 



thou, Simon ? of whom do the kings 
of the earth take custom or tribute ? 
of their own children, or of strangers? 

26 Peter suith unto him, Of stran- 
gers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are 
the children free. 

27 Notwithstanding, lest we should 
offend them, go thou to the sea, and 
cast an hook, and take up the fish that 
first cometh up ; and when thou hast 
opened his mouth, thou shall find a 
piece of money ; that take, and give 
unto them for me and thee. 



These verses contain a circumstance in our Lord's history, 
which is not recorded by any of the evangelists excepting 
St. Matthew. A remarkable miracle is worked in order 
to provide payment of the tribute-money, required for 
the service of the temple. There are three striking 
points in the narrative, which deserve attentive observa- 
tion. 

Let us observe, in the first place, our Lord's perfect 
knowledge of everything that is said anddone in this ivorld. 



\Y 



e are 



told that those who " recieved tribute-money 



xvii. 215 

came to Peter and said. Doth not your Master pay tribute ? 
He saith, Yes." It was evident that our Lord was not 
present, when the question was asked and the answer 
given. And yet no sooner did Peter come into the 
house than our Lord asked him, " What thinkest thou ? 
Simon ? of whom do the kings of the earth take cus- 
tom or tribute ?" He showed that He was as well 
acquainted with the conversation, as if He had been 
listening or standing by. 

There is something unspeakably solemn in the thought 
that the Lord Jesus knows all things. There is an eye 
that sees all our daily conduct. There is an ear that 
hears all our daily words. All things are naked and 
opened unto the eyes of Him, with whom we have to do. 
Concealment is impossible. Hypocrisy is useless. We 
may deceive ministers. We may impose upon our re- 
lations and neighbors. But the Lord sees us through 
and through. We cannot deceive Christ. 

We ought to endeavor to make practical use of this 
truth. We should strive to live as in the Lord's sight, 
and, like Abraham, to " walk before him." (Gen. xvii. 1.) 
Let it be our daily aim to say nothing we would not like 
Christ to hear, and to do nothing we would not like Christ 
to see. Let us measure every difficult question as to 
right and wrong by one simple test, "How would I behave, 
if Jesus was standing by my side ?" Such a standard 
is not extravagant and absurd. It is a standard that 
interferes with no duty or relation of life. It interferes 
with nothing but sin. Happy is he that tries to realize 
his Lord's presence, and to do all and say all as unto 
Christ. 



216 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

Let ns observe, in the next place, our Lord's almighty 
poiver over all creation. He makes a fish his paymaster. 
He makes a dnmb creature bring the tribute-money to 
meet the collector's demand. Well says Jerome ; ." I know 
not which to admire most here, our Lord's foreknowledge, 
or His greatness." 

We see here a literal fulfilment of the Psalmist's 
words, u Thou madest him to have dominion over the 
works of thine hands ; thou hast put all things under 
His feet ; — the fowl of the air and the fish of the sea, and 
whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas." 
(Psalm viii. 6 — 8.) 

Here is one among many proofs of the majesty and 
greatness of our Lord Jesus Christ. He only who first 
created, could at His will command the obedience of all 
Hiscreatures. " By him were all things created. By Him 
all things consist." (Col. i. 16 — 18.) The believer who goes 
forth to do Christ's work among the heathen, may safely 
commit himself to his Master's keeping. He serves one 
who has all power, even over the beasts of the earth. 
How wonderful the thought, that such an Almighty Lord 
should condescend to be crucified for our salvation ! 
How comfortable the thought that when He comes again 
the second time, He will gloriously manifest His power 
over all created things to the whole world : " The wolf 
and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat 
straw like the bullock : and dust shall be the serpent's 
meat." (Isaiah lxv. 25.) 

In the last place, let us observe, in these verses, our 
Lord's willingness to make concessions, rather than give 
offence. He might justly have claimed exemption from 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XVII. 217 

the payment of this tribute -money. He, who was Son 
of God, might fairly have been excused from paying for 
the maintenance of His Father's house. He, who was 
" greater than the temple," might have shown good cause 
for declining to contribute to the support of the temple, 
But our Lord does not do so. He claims no exemption. 
He desires Peter to pay the money demanded. At the 
same time He declares His reasons. It was to be done, 
" lest we should offend them." " A miracle is worked," 
says Bishop Hall, "rather than offend even a tax-collector." 

Our Lord's example in this case deserves attention of 
all who profess and call themselves Christians. There is 
deep wisdom in those five words, " lest we should offend 
them." They teach us plainly, that there are matters in 
which Christ's people ought to sink their own opinions, 
and submit to requirements which they may not thoroughly 
approve, rather than give offence and " hinder the Gospel 
of Christ." God's rights undoubtedly we ought never to 
give up ; but we may sometimes safely give up our own. 
It may sound very fine and seem very heroic to be al- 
ways standing out tenaciously for our rights. But it 
may well be doubted, with such a passage as this, 
whether such tenacity is always wise, and shows the 
mind of Christ. There are occasions, when it shows 
more grace in a Christian to submit than to resist. 

Let us remember this passage as citizens and subjects. 
We may not like all the political measures of our rulers. 
We may disapprove of some of the taxes they impose. 
But the grand question after all is, Will it do any good to 
the cause of religion to resist the powers that be ? Are 
their measures really injuring our souls ? If not, let us 
10 



218 EXPOSITOKY THOUGHTS. 

hold our peace, " lest we should offend them/' " A 
Christian/' says Bullinger, " never ought to disturb the 
public peace for things of mere temporary importance." 

Let us remember this passage as members of a church, 
We may not like every jot and tittle of the forms and 
ceremonies used in our communion. We may not think 
that those who rule us in spiritual matters are always 
wise. But after all, Are the points on which we are 
dissatisfied really of vital importance ? Is any great 
truth of the Gospel at stake ? If not, let us be quiet, 
" lest we should offend them/' 

Let us remember this passage as members of society. 
There may be usages and customs in the circle where our 
lot is cast, which to us, as Christians, arc tiresome, use- 
less, and unprofitable. But are they matters of principle ? 
Do they injure our souls ? Will it clo any good to the 
cause of religion, if we refuse to comply with them ? If 
not, let us patiently submit, " lest we should offend them." 

Well would it be for the church and the world, if 
these five words of our Lord had been more studied, 
pondered, and used ! Who can tell the damage that has 
been done to the cause of the Gospel, by morbid scru- 
pulosity, and conscientiousness, falsely so called ! May 
we all remember the example of the great apostle of the 
Gentiles ; — u we suffer all things, lest we should hinder 
the Gospel of Christ." (1 Cor. ix. 12.) 



MATTHEW XVIII. 1—14. 



1 At the same time came the dis- 
ciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the 
greatest in the kingdom of heaven : 

2 And Jesus called a little child 



unto him, and set him in the midst 
of them, 

3 And said, Verily I say unto you, 
except ye be converted, and become 



219 



as little children, ye shall not enter 
into the kingdom of heaven. 

4 Whosoever therefore shall humble 
himself as this little child, the same 
is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 

5 And whoso shall receive one such 
little child in my name receiveth me. 

6 Bat whoso shall offend one of 
these little ones which believe iu me, 
it were better for him that a millstone 
were hanged about his neck, and that 
he were drowned in the depth of the 
eea. 

7 Woe unto the world because of 
offences ! for it must needs be that 
offences come ; but woe to that man 
by whom the offence cometh ! 

8 Wherefore if thy hand or thy 
foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast 
them from thee : it is better for thee 
to enter into life halt or maimed, ra- 
ther than having two hands or two 
feet to be cast into everlastiug fire. 

9 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck 



it out, and cast it from thee : it is 
better for thee to enter into life with 
one eye, rather than having two eyes 
to be cast into hell fire. 

10 Take heed that ye despise not 
one of these little ones; fori say unto 
you, That in heaven their angels do 
always behold the face of my Father 
which is in heaven. 

11 For the Son of man is come to 
save that which was lost. 

12 How think ye? if a man have 
an hundred sheep, and one of them 
be gone astray, doth he not leave the 
ninety and nine, and goeth into the 
mountains, and seeketh that which is 
gone astray? 

13 And if so be that he find it, ve- 
rily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more 
of that sheep, than of the ninety and 
nine which went not astray. 

14 Even so it is not the will of your 
Father which is in heaven, that one 
of these little ones should perish. 



The first thing that we are taught in these verses, is the 
necessity of conversion, and of conversion manifested by 
childlike humility. The disciples came to our Lord with 
the question, " Who is the greatest in the kingdom of 
heaven ?" They spoke as men half-enlightened, and 
full of carnal expectations. They received an answer 
well calculated to awaken them from their day-dream — 
an answer containing a truth which lies at the very 
foundation of Christianity — " except ye be converted, 
and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the 
kingdom of heaven." 

Let these words sink down deeply into our hearts. 
Without conversion there is no salvation. We all need 
an entire change of nature. Of ourselves we have neither 
faith, nor fear, nor love towards G-od. " We must be born 
again/' Of ourselves we are utterly unfit for dwelling in 
God's presence. Heaven would be no heaven to us if 



220 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

we were not converted. It is true of all ranks, classes, 
and orders of mankind. All are born in sin and children 
of wrath, and all, without exception, need to be born 
again and made new creatures. A new heart must be 
given to us, and a new spirit put within us. Old things 
must pass away, and all things must become new. It is 
a good thing to be baptized into the Christian Church, 
and use Christian means of grace. But after all, " are 
we converted ?" 

Would we know whether we are really converted ? 
Would we know the test by which we must try ourselves ? 
The surest mark of true conversion is humility. If we 
have really received the Holy Grhost, we shall show it by 
a meek and childlike spirit. Like children, we shall 
think humbly of our own strength and wisdom, and be 
very dependent on our Father in heaven. Like children, 
we shall not seek great things in this world ; and having 
food and raiment and a Father's love, we shall be con- 
tent. Truly this is a heart-searching test ! It exposes 
the unsoundness of many a so-called conversion. It is 
easy to be a convert from one party to another party, 
from one sect to another sect, from one set of opinions to 
another set of opinions. Such conversions save no one's 
soul. What we all want is a conversion from pride to 
humility — from high thoughts of ourselves to lowly 
thoughts of ourselves — from self-conceit to self-abase- 
ment — from the mind of the Pharisee to the mind of the 
Publican. — A conversion of this kind we must experience, 
if we hope to be saved. These are the conversions that 
are wrought by the Holy Ghost. 

The next thing that we are taught in these verses, is 



xviii. 221 

the great sin of putting stumblingblocks in the way of 
believers. The words of the Lord Jesus on this subject 
are peculiarly solemn. " Woe unto the world because of 
offences ! — Woe to that man by whorn the offence 
cometh." 

We put offences or stumblingblocks in the way of 
men's souls, whenever we do anything to keep them 
back from Christ,— or to turn them out of the way of 
salvation, — or to disgust them with true religion. We 
may do it directly by persecuting, ridiculing, opposing, 
or dissuading them from decided service of Christ. We 
may do it indirectly by living a life inconsistent with our 
religious profession, and by making Christianity loath- 
some and distasteful by our own conduct. Whenever we 
do anything of the kind, it is clear, from our Lord's 
words, that we commit a great sin. 

There is something very fearful in the doctrine here laid 
down. It ought to stir up within us great searchings of 
heart. It is not enough that we wish to do good in this 
world. Are we quite sure that we are not doing harm ? — 
We may not openly persecute Christ's servants. But are 
there none that we are injuring by our ways and our ex- 
ample ? It is awful to think of the amount of harm that 
can be done by one inconsistent professor of religion. He 
gives a handle to the infidel. He supplies the worldly 
man with an excuse for remaining undecided. He checks 
the inquirer after salvation. He discourages the saints. 
He is, in short, a living sermon on behalf of the devil. 
The last day alone will reveal the wholesale ruin of souls, 
that " offences" have occasioned in the Church of 
Christ. One of Nathan's charges against David was, 



222 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

" thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the 
Lord to blaspheme/' (2 Sam. xii. 14.) 

The next thing that we are taught in these verses is, 
the reality of future punishment after death. Two strong- 
expressions are used by our Lord on this point. He 
speaks of being "cast into everlasting fire/' He speaks 
of being " cast into hell fire.''' 

The meaning of these words is clear and unmistakeable. 
There is a place of unspeakable misery in the world to 
come, to which all who die impenitent and unbelieving, 
must ultimately be consigned. There is revealed in 
Scripture a "'fiery indignation/' which sooner or later will 
devour all G-od's adversaries. (Heb. x.27.) The same sure 
word which holds out a heaven to all who repent and are 
converted, declares plainly that there will be a hell for 
all the ungodly. 

Let no man deceive us with vain words upon this 
awful subject. Men have arisen in these latter days, 
who profess to deny the eternity of future punishment, 
and repeat the devil's old argument, that we " shall not 
surely die." (G-en. iii. 4.) Let none of their reasonings 
move us, however plausible they may sound. Let us 
stand fast in the old paths. The God of love and mercy 
is also a G-od of justice. He will surely requite. The 
flood in Noah's day, and the burning of Sodom, were 
meant to show us what He will one day do. No lips 
have ever spoken so clearly about hell as those of 
Christ Himself. Hardened sinners will find out, to their 
cost, that there is such a thing as the " wrath of the 
Lamb." (Rev. vi. 17.) 

The last thins: we are taught in these verses, is the 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XVIII. 



223 



value that God sets on the least and loivest of believers. 
" It is not the will of your Father in heaven, that one 
of these little ones should perish/' 

These words are meant for the encouragement of all 
true Christians, and not for little children only. The 
connection in which they are found with the parable of 
the hundred sheep and one that went astray, seems to 
place this beyond doubt. They are meant to show us 
that our Lord Jesus is a Shepherd, who cares tenderly 
for every soul committed to His charge. The youngest, 
the weakest, the sickliest of His flock is as dear to Him 
as the strongest. They shall never perish. None shall 
ever pluck them out of His hand. He will lead them 
gently through the wilderness of this world. He will not 
overdrive them a single day, lest any die. (Gen. xxxiii. 
13.) He will carry them through every difficulty. He 
will defend them against every enemy, The sayingwhich 
He spoke shall be literally fulfilled : "Of them which 
thou gavest me have I lost none." (John xviii. 9.) With 
such a Saviour, who need fear beginning to be a 
thorough Christian ? With such a Shepherd, who, 
having once begun, need fear being cast away ? 



MATTHEW XVIII. 15—20. 



15 Moreover if thy brother shall 
trespass against thee, go and tell him 
his tault between thee and him alone : 
if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained 
thy brother. 

16 But if he will not hear thee, then 
take with thee one or two more, that 
in the mouth of two or three witnesses 
every word may be established. 

17 And if he shall neglect to hear 



them, tell it unto the Church : but if 
he neglect to hear the Church, let him 
be unto thee as a heathen man and a 
Publican. 

18 Verily I say unto you, Whatso- 
ever ye shall bind on earth shall be 
bound in heaven : and whatsoever ye 
shall loose on earth shall be loosed in 
heaven. 

19 Again I say unto you, That if 



224 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 



two of you shall agree on earth as 
touching any thing that they shall 
ask, it shall 'be done for them of rny 
Father which is in heaven. 



20 For where two or three are 
gathered together in my name, there 
am I in the midst of them. 



These words of the Lord Jesus contain an expression 
which has been often misapplied. The command to 
" hear the church/' has been so interpreted as to contra- 
dict other passages of G-od's word. It has been falsely 
applied to the authority of the whole visible church in 
matters of doctrine, and so been made an excuse for the 
exercise of much ecclesiastical tyranny. But the abuse 
of Scripture truths must not tempt us to neglect the use 
of them. We must not turn away altogether from any 
text, because some have perverted it, and made it poison. 

Let us notice in the first place, hoio admirable are the 
rules laid down by our Lord, for the healing of differ- 
ences among brethren. 

If we have unhappily received any injury from a 
fellow-member of Christ's Church, the first step to be 
taken is to visit him " alone," and tell him his fault. He 
may have injured us unintentionally, as Abimelech did 
Abraham. (Gen. xxi. 26.) His conduct may admit of 
explanation, like that of the tribes of Eeuben, Gad, and 
Manasseh, when they built an altar, as they returned to 
their own land. (Joshua xxii. 24.) At any rate, this 
friendly, faithful, straight-forward way of dealing is the 
most likely course to win a brother, if he is to be won. 
" A soft tongue breaketh the bone." (Prov. xxv. 15.) 
"Who can tell but he may say at once, " I was wrong" — 
and make ample reparation ? 

If however this course of proceeding fails to produce 
any good effect, a second step is to be taken. We are to 



225 

" take with us one or two" companions, and tell our 
brother of his fault in their presence and hearing. Who 
can tell but his conscience may be stricken, when he 
finds his misconduct made known, and he may be 
ashamed and repent ? If not, we shall at all events 
have the testimony of witnesses, that we did all we could 
to bring our brother to a right mind, and that he de- 
liberately refused, when appealed to, to make amends. 

Finally, if this second course of proceeding prove 
useless, we are to refer the whole matter to the Christian 
congregation of which we are members — we are to " tell 
it to the church." Who can tell but the heart which 
has been unmoved by private remonstrances, may be 
moved by the fear of public exposure ? If not, there 
remains but one view to take of our brother's case — we 
must sorrowfully regard him as one who has shaken off 
all Christian principles, and will be guided by no higher 
motives than " a heathen man and a publican." 

The passage is a beautiful instance of the mingled 
wisdom and tender consideration of our Lord's teaching. 
What a knowledge* it shows of human nature ! Nothing 
does so much harm to the cause of religion as the quar- 
rels of Christians. No stone should be left unturned, no 
trouble spared, in order to prevent their being dragged 
before the public. — What a delicate thoughtfulness it 
shows for the sensitiveness of poor human nature ! 
Many a scandalous breach would be prevented, if we 
were more ready to practice the rule of " between thee 
and him alone." Happy would it be for the Church and 
the world, if this portion of our Lord's teaching was 
more carefully studied and obeyed. Differences and 

10* 



226 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

divisions there will be, so long as the world stands. But 
how many of them would be extinguished at once, if the 
course recommended in these verses was tried. 

In the second place, let us observe what a clear argu- 
ment we have in these verses for the exercise of discipline 
in a Christian congregation. 

Our Lord commands disagreements between Christians, 
which cannot be otherwise settled, to be referred to the 
decision of the church or Christian assembly to which 
they belong. " Tell it," he says, " to the church." It 
is evident from this, that he intends every congregation 
of professing Christians to take cognizance of the moral 
conduct of its members, either by the action of the whole 
body collectively, or of heads and elders to whom its 
authority may be delegated. It is evident also that He 
intends every congregation to have the power of ex- 
cluding disobedient and refractory members from partici- 
pation in its ordinances. " If he refuse," he says, " to 
hear the Church, let him be to thee as an heathen man 
and a publican." He says not a word about temporal 
punishment, and civil disabilities. Spiritual penalties 
are the only penalty He permits the Church to inflict, 
and when rightly inflicted, they are not to be lightly re- 
garded. " Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be 
bound in heaven." Such appears to be the substance of 
our Lord's teaching about ecclesiastical discipline. 

It is vain to deny that the whole subject is surrounded 
with difficulties. On no point has the influence of the 
world weighed so heavily on the action of Churches. 
On no point have Churches made so many mistakes — 
sometimes on the side of sleepy remissness, sometimes on 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XVIII. 227 

the side of blind severity. No doubt the power of ex- 
communication has been fearfully abused and perverted, 
and, as Quesnel says, " we ought to be more afraid of our 
sins than of all the excommunications in the world/' 
Still it is impossible to deny, with such a passage as this 
before us, that church discipline is according to the mind 
of Christ, and when wisely exercised, is calculated to pro- 
mote a church's health and well-being. It can never be 
right that all sorts of people, however wicked and ungodly, 
should be allowed to come to the table of the Lord, no 
man letting or forbidding. It is the bounden duty of 
every Christian to use his influence to prevent such a 
state of things. A perfect communion can never be 
attained in this world, but purity should be the mark 
at which we aim. An increasingly high standard of 
qualification for full church-membership, will always be 
found one of the best evidences of a prosperous church. 

Let us observe, in the last place, what gracious encour- 
agement Christ holds out to those ivho meet together in His 
name. He says, " Where two or three are gathered 
together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." 
That saying is a striking proof of our Lord's divinity. 
God alone can be in more places than one at the same time. 

There is comfort in these words for all who love to 
meet together for religious purposes. At every assembly 
for public worship, — at every gathering for prayer and 
praise, — at every missionary meeting, — at every Bible 
reading, the King of kings is present, — Christ Himself 
attends. We may be often disheartened by the small 
number who are present on such occasions, compared to 
those who meet for worldly ends. We may sometimes 



228 



EXPOSITORY" THOUGHTS. 



find it hard to bear the taunts and ridicule of an ill- 
natured world, which cries like the enemy of old, " What 
do these feeble people ?" (Nehem. iv. 2.) But we have 
no reason for despondency. We may boldly fall back on 
these words of Jesus. At all such meetings we have the 
company of Christ Himself. 

There is a solemn rebuke in these words for all who 
neglect the public worship of God, and never attend 
meetings for any religious purpose. They turn their 
backs on the society of the Lord of lords. They miss 
the opportunity of meeting Christ Himself. It avails 
nothing to say that the proceedings of religious meetings 
are marked by weakness and infirmity, or that as much 
good is got by staying at home as going to church. The 
words of our Lord should silence such arguments at once. 
Surely men are not wise when they speak contemptu- 
ously of any gathering where Christ is present. 

May we all ponder these things. If we have met 
together with God's people for spiritual purposes in times 
past 5 let us persevere, and not be ashamed. If we have 
hitherto despised such meetings, let us consider our ways, 
and learn wisdom. 



MATTHEW XVIII. 21—35. 



21 Then came Peter to him, and 
said, Lord, how often shall my brother 
Bin against me, and I forgive him ? 
till seven times ? 

22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not 
■onto thee, Until seven times : but, 
Until seventy times seven. 

23 Therefore is the kingdom of 
heaven likened unto a certain king, 
which would take account of his ser- 
vants. 



24 And when he had begun to 
reckon, one was brought unto him, 
which owed him ten thousand tal- 
ents. 

25 But forasmuch a3 he had not to 
pay, his lord commanded him to be 
sold, and his wife, and children, and 
all that he had, and payment to be 
made. 

26 The servant therefore fell down, 
and worshipped him, saying, Lord, 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XVIII. 



229 



hav8 patience with me, and I will pay 
thee all. 

27 Then the lord of that servant 
was moved with compassion, and 
loosed him, aud forgave him the debt. 

28 But the same servant went out, 
and found one of his fellow-servants, 
which owed him an hundred pence : 
and laid hands on him, and took Mm 
by the throat, saying, Pay me that 
thou owest. 

29 And his fellow-servant fell down 
at his feet, and besought him, saying, 
Have patience with me, and I will 
pay thee all. 

30 And he would not: but went 
and cast him into prison till he should 
pay the debt. 



81 So when his fellow-servants saw 
what was done, they were very sorry, 
and came and told unto their lord all 
that was done. 

82 Then his lord, after that he had 
called him, said unto him, thou 
wicked servant, I forgave thee all that 
debt, because thou desiredst me : 

33 Shouldest not thou also have 
had compassion on thy fellow-servant, 
even as I had pity on thee ? 

34 And his lord was wroth, and de- 
livered him to the tormentors, till he 
should pay all that was due unto him. 

35 So likewise shall my heavenly 
Father do also unto you, if ye from 
your hearts forgive not every one hU 
'brother their trespasses. 



In these verses the Lord Jesus deals with a deeply im- 
portant subject, — the forgiveness of injuries. We live 



in a wicked world, and it is vain to expect that we can 
escape ill-treatment, however carefully we may behave. 
To know how to conduct ourselves^jwhen we are ill— 
treated, is of great moment to our souls. 

In the first place, the Lord Jesus lays it down as a 
gejzzmlride, that we ought to fo rg i ve others to the uttermost. 
Peter put the question, " How oft shall my brother sin 
against me and I forgive him ? till seven times ?" He 
received for answer, " I say not unto thee till seven 
times, but until seventy times seven." 

The rule here laid down must of course be interpreted 
with sober-minded qualification. Our Lord does not 
mean that offences against the law of the land and the 
good order of society, are to be passed over in silence. 
He does not mean that we are to allow people to commit 
thefts, and assaults, with impunity. All that He means 
is, that we are to study a general spirit of mercy and 
forgivingness towards our brethren. We are to bear 



230 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

much, and to put up with much, rather than quarrel. 
We are to look over much ; and submit to much, rather 
than have any strife. We are to lay aside everything 
like malice, strife, revenge, and retaliation. Such feel- 
ings are only fit for heathens. They are utterly un- 
worthy of a disciple of Christ. 

What a happy world it would be if this rule of our 
Lord's was more known and better obeyed ! How many 
of the miseries of mankind are occasioned by disputes, 
quarrels, lawsuits, and an obstinate tenacity about what 
men call " their rights !" How many of them might be 
altogether avoided, if men were more willing to forgive, 
and more desirous for peace ! Let us never forget that 
a fire cannot go on burning without fuel. Just in the 
same way it takes two to make a quarrel. Let us each 
resolve by God's grace, that of these two we will never 
be one. Let us resolve to return good for evil, and bless- 
ing for cursing, and so melt down enmity, and change 
our foes into friends. (Kom. xii. 20.) It was a fine fea- 
ture in Archbishop Cranrner's charater, that if you did 
him an injury, he was sure to be your friend. 

In the second place, our Lord supplies us with two 
powerful motives for exercisin^a forgiving spirit. ~He 
tells us a story of a man who owed an enormous sum to 
his master, and had " nothing to pay." Nevertheless at 
the time of reckoning his master had compassion on him, 
and " forgave him all." He tells us that this very man, 
after being forgiven himself, refused to forgive a fellow- 
servant a trifling debt of a few pence. He actually cast 
him into prison, and would not abate a jot of his demand. 
He tells us how punishment overtook this wicked and 



231 

cruel man, who, after receiving mercy, ought surely to 
have shown mercy to others. And finally, he concludes 
the parable with the impressive words, " so likewise shall 
my heavenly Father do unto you, if ye from your hearts 
forgive not every one his brother their trespasses." 

It is clear from this parable that one motive for forgiv- 
ing others, ought to be the recollection that we all need 
forgiveness at God's hands ourselves. Day after day we 
are coming short in many things, " leaving undone what 
we ought to do, and doing what we ought not to do/' 
Day after day we require mercy and pardon. Our 
neighbors' offences against us are mere trifles, com- 
pared with our offences against God . Surely it ill becomes 
poor erring creatures like us, to be extreme in marking 
what is done amiss by our brethren, or slow to forgive it. 

Another motive for forgiving others, ought to be the 
recollection of the day of judgment, and the standard 
by which we shall all be tried in that day. There 
will be no forgiveness in that day for unforgiving people. 
Such people would be unfit for heaven. They would not 
be able to value a dwelling-place to which " mercy" is 
the only title, and in which " mercy" is the eternal sub- 
ject of song. Surely if we mean to stand at the right 
hand, when Jesus sits on the throne of His glory, we 
must learn, while we are on earth, to forgive. 

Let these truths sink down deeply into our hearts. It 
is a melancholy fact that there are few Christian duties 
so little practised as that of forgiveness. It is sad to see 
how much bit terness,unmercifulness, spite, hardness, and 
Unkindness there is among men. Yet there are few 
duties so strongly enforced in the New Testament Scrip- 



232 



EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 



tures as this duty is, and few the neglect of which so 
clearly shuts a man out of the kingdom of God. 

Would we give proof that we are at peace with God, 
washed in Christ's hlood, born of the Spirit, and made 
God's children by adoption and grace ? Let us remem- 
ber this passage. Like our Father in heaven, let us be 
forgiving. Has any man injured us ? Let us this day 
forgive him. As Leighton says ' ' we ought to forgive 
ourselves little, and others much." 

Would we do good to the world ? Would we have 
any influence on others, and make them see the beauty 
of true religion ? Let us remember this passage. Men 
who care not for doctrines, can understand a forgiving 
temper. 

Would we grow in grace ourselves, and become more 
holy in all our ways, words, and works ? Let us re- 
member this passage. — nothing so grieves the Holy 
Spirit, and brings spiritual darkness over the soul, as 
giving way to a quarrelsome and unforgiving temper. 
(Ephes. iv. 30—32.) 



MATTHEW XIX. 1—15. 



1 And it came to pass, that when 
Jesus had finished these sayings, he 
departed from Galilee, and came into 
the coasts of Judaea beyond Jordan ; 

2 And great multitudes followed 
him, and he healed them there. 

3 The Pharisees also came unto 
him, tempting him, and saying unto 
him, Is it lawful for a man to put 
away his wife for every cause ? 

4 And he answered and said unto 
them, Have ye not read, that he which 
made them at the beginning made 
them male and female, 

5 And said, For this cause shall a 



man leave father and mother, and 
shall cleave to his wife : and they 
twain shall be one flesh ? 

6 Wherefore they are no more 
twain, but one flesh. What therefore 
God hath joined together, let not man 
put asunder. 

7 They say unto him, Why did 
Moses then command togive a writing 
of divorcement, and to put her away l 

8 He saith unto them, Moses be- 
cause of the hardness of your hearts 
suffered you to put away your wives : 
but from" the beginning it was not so. 

9 And I say unto you, Whosoever 



233 



Bliall pat away his wife, except it be 
for fornication, and shall many an- 
other, committeth adultery : and who- 
so marrieth her which is put away 
doth commit adultery. 

10 His disciples say unto him, If 
the case of the man be so with Ms 
wife, it is not good to marry. 

11 But he said unto them, All men 
cannot receive this saying, save they 
to whom it is given. 

12 For there are some eunuchs, 
which were so born from the Smother's 
womb : and there are some eunuchs 
which were made eunuchs of men : and 



there be eunuchs, which have made 
themselves eunuchs for the kingdom 
of heaven's sake. He that is able to 
receive it, let him receive it. 

13 Then were there brought unto 
him little children, that he should put 
Ms hands on them, and pray : and the 
disciples rebuked them. 

14 But Jesus said, Suffer little chil- 
dren, and forbid them not, to come 
unto me : for of such is the kingdom 
of heaven. 

15 And he laid Ms hands on them, 
and departed thence. 



In these verses we have the mind of Christ declared on 
two subjects of great moment. One is the relation of 
husband and wife. The other is the light in which we 
should regard little children, in the matter of their souls. 

It is difficult to overrate the importance of these two 
subjects. The well-being of nations, and the happiness 
of society, are closely connected with right views upon 
them. Nations are nothing but a collection of families. 
The good order of families depends entirely on keeping 
up the highest standard of respect for the marriage tie, 
and on the right training of children. We ought to be 
thankful, that on both these points, the great Head of 
the Church has pronounced judgment so clearly. 

With respect to marriage, our Lord teaches, that the 
union of husband and wife ought never to be broken off, 
except for the greatest of all causes, namely, actual un- 
faithfulness. 

In the days when our Lord was upon earth, divorces 
were permitted among the Jews for the most trifling and 
frivolous causes. The practice, though tolerated by Moses, 
to prevent worse evils — such as cruelty or murder — 



234 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

had gradually become an enormous abuse, and no doubt 
led to much immorality. (Malachi ii. 14 — 16.) The 
remark made by our Lord's disciples shows the deplor- 
ably low state of public feeling on the subject. They 
said, " If the case of the man be so, it is not good to 
marry." They meant of course, " if a man may not put 
away his wife for a slight cause at any time, he had 
better not marry at all." Such language from the mouths 
of apostles sounds strange indeed ! 

Our Lord brings forward a widely different standard 
for the guidance of His disciples. He first founds His 
judgment on the original institution of marriage. He 
quotes the words used in the beginning of Genesis, where 
the creation of man, and the union of Adam and Eve, are 
described, as a proof that no relation should be so highly 
regarded as that of husband and wife. The relation of 
parent and child may seem very close, but there is one 
closer still. — " A man shall leave father and mother, and 
cleave to His wife." He then backs tip the quotation 
by His own solemn words, " What God hath joined to- 
gether, let not man put asunder." — And finally He 
brings in the grave charge of breaking the seventh com- 
mandment, against marriage contracted after a divorce 
for light and frivolous causes : " Whosoever shall put 
away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall 
marry another, committeth adultery." 

It is clear, from the whole tenor of the passage, that 
the relation of marriage ought to be highly reverenced 
and honored amons; Christians. It is a relation which 
was instituted in Paradise, in the time of man's innocency, 
and is a chosen figure of the mystical union between 



MATT HE W, CHAP. XIX. 235 

Christ and His Church. It is a relation which nothing 
but death ought to terminate. It is a relation which is 
sure to have the greatest influence on those whom it 
brings together, for happiness, or for misery, for good, or 
for evil. Such a relation ought never to be taken in 
hand unadvisedly, lightly, or wantonly, but soberly, dis- 
creetly, and with due consideration. It is only too true, 
that inconsiderate marriages are one of the most fertile 
causes of unhappiness, and too often, it may be feared, of 
sin. 

With respect to little children, we find our Lord in- 
structing us in these verses, both by ivord and deed, both 
by precept and example. " Little children were brought 
to him, that he should put his hands on them and pary." 
They were evidently tender infants, too young to receive 
instruction, but not too young to receive benefit by prayer. 
The disciples seem to have thought them beneath their 
Master's notice, and rebuked those that brought them. 
Bat this drew forth a solemn declaration from the great 
Head of the Church, — "Jesus said, Suffer little children, 
and forbid them not, to come unto me ; for of such is 
the kingdom of heaven." 

There is something deeply interesting both in the lan- 
guage and action of our Lord on this occasion. We 
know the weakness and feebleness, both in mind and body, 
of a little infant. Of all creatures born into the world 
none is so helpless and dependent. We know who it 
was who here took such notice of infants, and found time, 
in His busy ministry among grown up men and women, 
to "put his hands on them and pray/' It was the 
eternal Son of God, the great High Priest, the King of 



236 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

kings, by whom all things consist, " the brightness of the 
Father's glory, and the express image of His person." 
What an instructive picture the whole transaction places 
before our eyes ! No wonder that the great majority of 
the Church of Christ have always seen in this passage, 
a strong, though indirect, argument in favor of infant 
baptism. 

Let us learn from these verses, that the Lord Jesus 
cares tenderly for the souls of little children. It is pro- 
bable that Satan specially hates them. It is certain that 
Jesus specially loves them. Young as they are, they are 
not beneath his thoughts, and attention. That mighty 
heart of his has room for the babe in its cradle, as well 
as for the king on his throne. He regards each one as 
possessing within its little body an undying principle, 
that will outlive the Pyramids of Egypt, and see sun and 
moon quenched at the last day. With such a passage 
as this before us, we may surely hope well about the 
salvation of all who die in infancy. " Of such is the 
kingdom of heaven." 

Finally, let us draw from these verses encouragement 
to attempt great things in the religious instruction of 
children. Let us begin from their very earliest years to 
deal with them as having souls to be lost, or saved, and 
strive to bring them to Christ. Let us make them ac- 
quainted with the Bible, as soon as they can understand 
anything. Let us pray with them, and pray for them, 
and teach them to pray for themselves. We may rest as- 
sured that Jesus looks with pleasure on such endeavors, 
and is ready to bless them. We may rest assured that 
such endeavors are not in vain. The seed sown in 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XIX. 



237 



infancy, is often found after many days. Happy is that 
church whose infant members are cared for as much as 
the oldest communicants ! The blessing of Him that 
was crucified will surely be on that church ! He put 
His hands on little children. He prayed for them. 



MATTHEW XIX. 16—22. 



16 And, behold, one came and said 
unto him, Good Master, what good 
thing shall I do, that I may have 
eternal life ? 

17 And he said unto him, Why 
callest thou me good ? there is none 
good but one, thai is God : but if thou 
wilt enter into life, keep the com- 
mandments. 

18 He said unto him, Which ? 
Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, 
Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou 
shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear 
false witness, 



19 Honor thy father and thy mo- 
ther : and, Thou shalt love thy neigh- 
bor as thyself. 

20 The young man saith unto him, 
All these things have I kept from my 
youth up : what lack I yet? 

21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt 
be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, 
and give to the poor, and thou shalt 
have treasure in heaven: and come 
and follow me. 

22 But when the young man heard 
that saying, he went away sorrowful : 
for he had great possessions. 



These verses detail a conversation between our Lord 
Jesus Christ and a young man, who came to Him to in- 
quire about the way to eternal life. Like every con- 
versation recorded in the G-ospels, between our Lord 
and an individual, it deserves special attention. Salva- 
tion is an individual business. Every one who wishes 
to be saved, must have private personal dealings with 
Christ about his own soul. 

We see, for one thing, from the case of this young 
man, that a person may have desires after salvation, and 
yet not he saved. Here is one who in a day of abounding 
unbelief comes of his own accord to Christ. He comes 
not to have a sickness healed. He comes not to plead 
about a child, He comes about his own soul. He 



238 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

opens the conference with the frank question, " Good 
Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have 
eternal life ?" Surely we might have thought, " this is 
a promising case : this is no prejudiced ruler or Pharisee : 
this is a hopeful inquirer." Yet by and bye this very 
young man " goes away sorrowful ;" — and we never read 
a word to show that he was converted ! 

We must never forget that good feelings alone in 
religion are not the grace of God. We may know the 
truth intellectually. We may often feel pricked in con- 
science. We may have religious affections awakened 
within us, have many anxieties about our souls, and shed 
many tears. But all this is not conversion. It is not 
the genuine, saving work of the Holy Ghost. 

Unhappily this is not all that must be said on this 
point. Not only are good feelings alone not grace, but 
they are even positively dangerous, if we content our- 
selves with them, and do not act as well as feel. It is a 
profound remark of that mighty master on moral ques- 
tions, Bishop Butler, that passive impressions often 
repeated, gradually lose all their power. Actions often 
repeated produce a habit in man's mind. Feelings often 
indulged in, without leading to corresponding actions, 
will finally exercise no influence at all. 

Let us apply this lesson to our own state. Perhaps 
Ave know what it is to feel religious fears, wishes, and 
desires. Let us beware that we do not rest in them. 
Let us never be satisfied till we have the witness of the 
Spirit in our hearts, that we are actually born again and 
new creatures. Let us never rest till we know that we 
have really repented, and laid hold on the hope set be- 



239 

fore us in the Gospel. It is good to feel. But it is far 
better to be converted. 

We see, for another thing, from this young man's case, 
that an unconverted person is often profoundly ignorant 
on spiritual subjects. Our Lord refers this inquirer to the 
eternal standard of right and wrong, the moral law. 
Seeing that he speaks so boldly about " doing/' he tries 
him by a command well calculated to draw out the real 
state of his heart, " If thou wilt enter into life, keep the 
commandments." He even repeats to him the second 
table of the law. — And at once the young man confidently 
replies, "All these have I kept from my youth up : what 
lack I yet f" So utterly ignorant is he of the spirituality 
of God's statutes, that he never doubts that he has per- 
fectly fulfilled them. He seems thoroughly unaware that 
the commandments apply to the thoughts and words, as 
well as to the deeds, and that if God were to enter into 
judgment with him, he could "not answer Him one of a 
thousand \" (Job ix. 3.) How dark must his mind have 
been as to the nature of God's law ! How low must his 
ideas have been as to the holiness which God requires ! 

It is a melancholy fact, that ignorance like that of this 
young man is only too common in the Church of Christ. 
There are thousands of baptized people, who know no 
more of the leading doctrines of Christianity than the 
veriest heathen. Tens of thousands fill churches and 
chapels weekly, who are utterly in the dark as to the full 
extent of man's sinfulness They cling obstinately to the 
old notion, that in some sort or other their own doings 
can save them — and when ministers visit them on their 
death-beds, they prove as blind as if they had never 



240 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

heard truth at all. So true is it, that the " natural man 
receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they 
are foolishness to him." (1 Cor. ii. 14.) 

We see in the last place, from this young man's case, 
that one idol cherished in the heart may ruin a soul for 
ever. Our Lord, who knew what was in man, at last 
shows His inquirer his besetting sin. The same search- 
ing voice which said to the Samaritan woman, " Go, call 
thy husband," (John iv. 16,) says to the young man, 
" Go, sell that thou hast, and give to the poor." At 
once the weak point in his character is detected. It 
turns out that, with all his wishes and desires after 
eternal life, there was one thing he loved better than his 
soul, and that was his money. He cannot stand the test. 
He is weighed in the balance and found wanting. And 
the history ends with the melancholy words, " He went 
away sorrowful, for he had great possessions." 

We have in this history one more proof of the truth, 
" The love of money is the root of all evil." (1 Tim. vi. 
10.) We must place this young man in our memories 
by the side of Judas, Ananias and Sapphira, and learn 
to beware of covetousness. Alas ! it is a rock on which 
thousands are continually making shipwreck. There is 
hardly a minister of the Gospel who could not point to 
many in his congregation, who, humanly speaking, are 
" not far from the kingdom of God." But they never 
seem to make progress. They wish. They feel. They 
mean. They hope. But there they stick fast ! And 
why ? Because they are fond of money. 

Let us prove our own selves, as we leave the passage. 
Let us see how it touches our own souls. Are we honest 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XIX. 



241 



and sincere in our professed desire to be true Christians ? 
Have we given up all our idols ? Is there no secret sin 
that we are silently clinging to, and refusing to give up ? 
Is there no thing or person that we are privately loving 
more than Christ and our souls ? These are questions 
that ought to be answered. The true explanation of the 
unsatisfactory state of many hearers of the Gospel, is 
spiritual idolatry. St. John might well say, "Keep 
yourselves from idols/' (1 John v. 21.) 



MATTHEW XIX. 23—30. 



23 Then said Jesus unto Ms dis- 
ciples, Verily I say unto you, That a 
rich man shall hardly enter into the 
kingdom of heaven. 

24 And again I say unto you, It is 
easier for a camel to go through the 
eye of a needle, than for a rich man 
to enter into the kingdom of God. 

25 When his disciples heard it, they 
were exceedingly amazed, saying, 
Who then can be saved ? 

26 But Jesus beheld them, and said 
unto them, With men this is impos- 
sible; but with God all things are 
possible. 

27 Then answered Peter and said 
unto him, Behold, we have forsaken 



all, and followed thee ; what shall we 
have therefore ? 

23 And Jesus said unto them, Verily 
I say unto you, That ye which have 
followed me in the regeneration, when 
the Son of man shall sit in the throne 
of his glory, ye also shall sit upon 
twelve thrones, judging the twelve 
tribes of Israel. 

29 And every one that hath forsa- 
ken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or 
father, or mother, or wife, or children, 
or lands, for my name's sake, shall 
receive an hundred-fold, and shall 
inherit everlasting life. 

30 But many that are first shall be 
last : and the last shall ie first. 



The first thing that we learn in these verses, is the im- 
mense danger which riches bring on the souls of those that 
jwssess them. The Lord Jesus declares, that " A rich man 
shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven." He goes 
even further. He uses a proverbial saying to strengthen 
His assertion : " It is easier for a camel to go through the 
eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the 
kingdom of Grod." 

Few of our Lord's sayings sound more startling than 

11 



242 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

this. Few run more counter to the opinions and prejudices 
of mankind. Few are so little believed. Yet this saying 
is true, and worthy of all acceptation. Kiches, which all 
desire to obtain, — riches, for which men labor and toil, 
and become gray before their time, — riches are a most 
perilous possession. They often inflict great injury on 
the soul. They lead men into many temptations. They 
engross men's thoughts and affections. They bind heavy 
burdens on the heart, and make the way to heaven even 
more difficult than it naturally is. 

Let us beware of the love of money. It is possible to 
use it well, and do good with it. But for one who makes 
a right use of money, there are thousands who make a 
wrong use of it, and do harm both to themselves and 
others. Let the worldly man, if he will, make an idol of 
money, and count him happiest who has most of it. But 
let the Christian, who professes to have " treasure m 
heaven/' set his face like a flint against the spirit of the 
world in this matter. Let him not worship gold. He 
is not the best man in God's eyes who has most money, 
but he who has most grace. 

Let us pray daily for rich men's souls. They are not 
to be envied. They are deeply to be pitied. They carry 
heavy weights in the Christian course. They are of all 
men the least likely " so to run as to obtain." (1 Cor. 
ix. 24.) Their prosperity in this world is often their 
destruction in the world to come. Weil may the Litany 
of the Church of England contain the words, "In all time 
of our wealth, good Lord, deliver us." 

The second thing that we learn in this passage, is the 
almighty power of God's grace in the soul. The disciples 



243 

were amazed, when they heard our Lord's language 
about rich men. It was language so subversive of all 
their notions about the advantages of wealth, that they 
cried out with surprise, " Who then can be saved ?" 
They drew from our Lord a gracious answer, "With men 
this is impossible : but with God all things are possible/' 

The Holy Ghost can incline even the richest of 
men to seek treasure in heaven. He can dispose even 
kings to cast their crowns at the feet of Jesus, and count 
all things but loss for the sake of the kingdom of God. 
Proof upon proof of this is given to us in the Bible. 
Abraham was very rich, yet he was the father of the 
faithful. Moses might have been a prince or king in 
Egypt, but he forsook all his brilliant prospects for the 
sake of Him who is invisible. Job was the wealthiest 
man in the east, yet he was a chosen servant of God. 
David, Jehoshaphat, Josiah, Hezekiah, were all wealthy 
monarchs, but they loved God's favor more than their 
earthly greatness. They all shew us that " nothing is too 
hard for the Lord," and that faith can grow even in the 
most unlikely soil. 

Let us hold fast this doctrine, and never let it go. 
No man's place or circumstances shut him out from the 
kingdom of God. Let us never despair of any one's 
salvation. No doubt rich people require special grace, 
and are exposed to special temptations. But the Lord 
God of Abraham, and Moses, and Job, and David is 
not changed. He who saved them in spite of their 
riches, can save others also. When He works, who shall 
let it ? (Isaiah xliii. 13.) 

The last thing that we 3 earn in these verses, is th« 



244 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

immense encouragement the Gospel offers to those who give 
up everything for Christ's sake. We are told that Peter 
asked our Lord what he and the other apostles, who had 
forsaken their little all for His sake, should receive in 
return. He obtained a most gracious reply. A full 
recom pence shall be made to all who make sacrifices for 
Christ's sake : they " shall receive an hundred fold, and 
shall inherit everlasting life." 

There is something very cheering in this promise. 
Few in the present day, excepting converts among the 
heathen, are ever required to forsake homes, relations, 
and lands, on account of their religion. Yet there are 
few true Christians, who have not much to go through, in 
one way or another, if they are really faithful to their 
Lord. The offence of the cross is not yet ceased. 
Laughter, ridicule, mockery, and family-persecution, are 
often the portion of an English believer. The favor 
of the world is often forfeited,— places and situations 
are often perilled, by a conscientious adherence to the 
demands of the Gospel of Christ. All who are exposed 
to trials of this kind may take comfort in the promise 
of these verses. Jesus foresaw their need, and intended 
these words to be their consolation. 

We may rest assured that no man shall ever be a real 
loser by following Christ. T he believer may seem to suffer 
loss for a time, when he first begins the life of a decided 
Christian. He may be much cast down by the afflictions 
that are brought upon him on accouut of his religion. 
But let him rest assured that he will never find himself 
a loser in the long run. Christ can raise up friends for 
us who shall more than compensate for those we lose 



MATTHEW, CHAP, XX. 



245 



Christ can open hearts and homes to us, far more warm 
and hospitable than those that are closed against us. 
Above all, Christ can give us peace of conscience, inward 
joy, bright hopes, and happy feelings, which shall far 
outweigh every pleasant earthly thing that we have cast 
away for His sake. He has pledged His royal word that 
it shall be so. None ever found that word fail. Let us 
trust it, and not be afraid. 



MATTHEW XX. 1—16. 



1 For the kingdom of Leaven is 
like unto a man that is an householder, 
which went out early in the morning 
to hire laborers into his vineyard. 

2 And when he had agreed with 
the laborers for a penny a day, he 
sent them into his vineyard. 

3 And he went out about the third 
hour, and saw others standing idle in 
the market-place, 

4 And said unto them : Go ye also 
into the vineyard, and whatsoever is 
right I will give you. And they went 
their way. 

5 Again he went out about the 
sixth and ninth hour, and did like- 
wise. 

6 And about the eleventh hour he 
went out, and found others standing 
idle, and saith unto them, Why stand 
ye here all the day idle ? 

7 They say unto him, Because no 
man hath hired us. He saith unto 
them, Go ye also into the vineyard ; 
and whatsoever is right, that shall ye 
receive. 

8 So when even was come, the lord 
of the vineyard saith unto his steward, 
Call the laborers, and give them 



their hire, beginning from the last 
unto the first. 

9 And when they came that were 
hired about the eleventh hour, they 
received every man a penny. 

10 But when the first came, they 
supposed that they should have re- 
ceived more; and they likewise re- 
ceived every man a penny. 

11 And when they had received U, 
they murmured against the goodman 
of the house, 

12 Saying, These last have wrought 
but one hour, and thou hast made 
them equal unto us, which have borne 
the burden and heat of the day. 

13 But he answered one of them, 
and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong : 
didst not thou agree with me for a 
penny ? 

14 'Take that thine is, and go thy 
way ; I will give unto this last even 
as unto thee. 

15 Is it not lawful for me to do 
what I will with mine own ? Is thine 
eye evil, because I am good ? 

16 So the last shall be first, and 
the first last : for many be called, but 
few chosen. 



There are undeniable difficulties in the parable contained 
in these verses. The key to the right explanation of 
them must be sought in the passage which concludes the 
last chapter. There we find the apostle Peter asking 



246 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

our Lord a remarkable question : — " we have forsaken 
all and followed thee ; what shall we have therefore ?" 
There we find Jesus giving a remarkable answer. He 
makes a special promise to Peter and his fellow disciples : 
— " they should one day sit on twelve thrones, judging 
the twelve tribes of Israel/' He makes a general promise 
to all who suffer loss for His sake : — " they should receive 
an hundred-fold, and inherit everlasting life." 

Now we must bear in mind that Peter was a Jew. 
Like most Jews, he had probably been brought up in much 
ignorance as to God's purposes respecting the salvation of 
the Gentiles. In fact, we know from the Acts, that it 
required a vision from heaven to take that ignorance away. 
(Acts x. 28.) Furthermore we must bear in mind that 
Peter and his fellow-disciples were weak in faith and 
knowledge. They were probably apt to attach a great 
importance to their own sacrifices for Christ's sake, and 
inclined to self-righteousness and self-conceit. — Both 
these points our Lord knew w-eil. He therefore speaks 
this parable for the special benefit of Peter and his com- 
panions. He read their hearts. He saw what spiritual 
medicine those hearts required, and supplied it without 
delay. In a word, He checked their rising pride, and 
taught them humility. 

In expounding this parable, we need not inquire closely 
into the meaning of the "penny," the "market-place," 
the " steward," or the " hours." Such inquiries often 
darken counsel by words without knowledge. Well says 
Calovius, " the theology of parables is not argumen- 
tative." The hint of Ohrysostom deserves notice. He 
says, " It is not right to search curiously, and word by 



247 

word, into all things in a parable ; but when we have 
learned the object for which it was composed, to reap 
this, and not to busy ourselves about anything further." 
Two main lessons appear to stand out on the face of the 
parable, and to embrace the general scope of its mean- 
ing. Let us content ourselves with these two. 

We learn, in the first place, that in the calling of 
nations to the 'professed knowledge of Himself, God ex- 
ercises, free, sovereign, and, unconditional grace. He 
calls the families of the earth into the visible church at 
His own time, and in His own way. 

We see this truth wonderfully brought out in the 
history of God's dealings with, the world. We see the 
children of Israel called and chosen to be God's people 
in the very beginning of " the day." We see some of the 
Gentiles called at a later period, by the preaching of the 
apostles. We see others being called in the present age, 
by the labors of missionaries. We see others, like the 
millions of Chinese and Hindoos, still " standing idle, 
because no man hath hired them." — And why is all this ? 
We cannot tell. We only know that God loves to hide 
pride from churches, and to take away all occasion of 
boasting. He will never allow the older branches of His 
church to look contemptuously on the younger. His 
Gospel holds out pardon and peace with God through 
Christ to the heathen of our own times, as fully as it did 
to St. Paul. The converted inhabitants of Tinnevelly 
and New Zealand shall be as fully admitted to heaven as 
the holiest patriarch who died 3500 years ago. The old 
wall between Jews and Gentiles is removed. There is 
nothing to prevent the believing heathen being " a 



248 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

fellow-heir and partaker of the same hope" with the 
believing Israelite. The Gentiles converted at "the 
eleventh hour" of the world, shall be as really and truly 
heirs of glory as the Jews. They shall sit down with 
Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of 
heaven, while many of the children of the kingdom are 
for ever cast out. " The last shall indeed be first." 

We learn, in the second place, that in the saving of 
individuals, as xoell as in the calling of nations, God acts 
as a sovereign, and gives no account of His matters. 
He has mercy on whom He will have mercy, and that too 
at His own time. (Rom. ix. 15.) 

This is a truth which we see illustrated on every side 
in the church of Christ, as a matter of experience. We 
see one man called to repentance and faith in the begin- 
ning of his days, like Timothy, and laboring in the 
Lord's vineyard for forty or fifty years. We see another 
man called " at the eleventh hour," like the thief on the 
cross, and plucked like a brand out of the fire — one day 
a hard impenitent sinner, and the next day in paradise. 
And yet the whole tenor of the Gospel leads us to believe 
that both these men are equally forgiven before God. 
Both are equally washed in Christ's blood, and clothed 
in Christ's righteousness. Both are equally justified, 
both accepted, and both will be found at Christ's right 
hand in the last day. 

There can be no doubt that this doctrine sounds strange 
to the ignorant and inexperienced Christian. It con- 
founds the pride of human nature. It leaves the self- 
righteous no room to boast. It is a levelling, humbling 
doctrine, and gives occasion to many a murmur. But 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XX. 249 

it is impossible to reject it, unless we reject the whole 
Bible. True faith in Christ, though it be but a day old, 
justifies a man before God as completely as the faith of 
him who has followed Christ for fifty years. The right- 
eousness in which Timothy w T ill stand at the day of judg- 
ment, is the same as that of the penitent thief. Both 
will be saved by grace alone. Both will owe all to 
Christ. — We may not like this. But it is the doctrine 
of this parable, and not of this parable only, but of the 
whole New Testament. Happy is he who can receive 
the doctrine with humility ! Well says Bishop Hall, 
"If some have cause to magnify God's bounty, none have 
cause to complain." 

Before we leave this parable, let us arm our minds 
with some necessary cautions. It is a portion of Scrip- 
ture that is frequently perverted and misapplied. Men 
have often drawn from it, not milk, but poison. 

Let us beware of supposing, from anything in this 
parable, that salvation is in the slightest degree to be 
obtained by works. To suppose this is to overthrow the 
whole teaching of the Bible. Whatever a believer re- 
ceives in the next world, is a matter of grace, and not 
of debt. God is never a debtor to us, in any sense 
whatever. When we have done all, we are unprofitable 
servants. (Luke xvii. 10.) 

Let us beware of supposing, from this parable, that the 
distinction between Jews and Gentiles is entirely done 
away by the Gospel. To suppose this is to contradict 
many plain prophecies, both of the Old Testament and 
New. In the matter of justification, there is no distinc- 
tion between the believing Jew and the Greek. Yet 

11* 



250 



EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS, 



Israel is still a special people, and not "numbered among 
the nations." God lias many purposes concerning the 
Jews, which are yet to be fulfilled. 

Let us beware of supposing, from this parable, that all 
saved souls will have the same degree of glory. To 
suppose this, is to contradict many plain texts of Scrip- 
ture. The title of all believers no doubt is the same — 
the righteousness of Christ. But all will not have the 
same place in heaven. " Every man shall receive his 
own reward, according to his own labor." (1 Cor. iii. 8.) 

Finally, let us beware of supposing from this parable, 
that it is safe for any one to put off repentance till the 
end of his days. To suppose this is a most dangerous 
delusion. The longer men refuse to obey Christ's voice, 
the less likely they are to be saved. "Now is the accepted 
time : now is the day of salvation." (2 Cor. vi. 2.) Few 
are ever saved on their death-beds. One thief on the cross 
was saved, that none should despair ; but only one, that 
none should presume. A false confidence in those words, 
" the eleventh hour," has ruined thousands of souls. 



MATTHEW XX. 17—23. 



17 And Jesus going up to Jerusalem 
took the twelve disciples apart in the 
way, and said unto them, 

18 Behold, we go up to Jerusalem : 
and the Son of man shall be betrayed 
unto the Chief Priests and unto the 
Scribes, and they shall condemn him 
to death, 

19 And shall deliver him to the 
Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and 
to crucify him : and the third day he 
shall rise again. 

20 Then" came to him the mother 
of Zebedee's children with her sons, 
worshipping him, and desiring a cer- 
tain thing of him. 

21 And he said unto her, What wilt 



thou ? She saith unto him, Grant that 
these my two sons may sit, the one 
on thy right hand, and the other on 
the left, in thy kingdom. 

22 But Jesus answered and said, 
Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye 
able to drink of the cup that I shall 
drink of, and to be baptized with the 
baptism that I am baptized with ? 
They say unto him, We are able. 

23 And he saith unto them, Ye 
shall drink indeed of my cup, and be 
baptized with the baptism that I am 
baptized with : but to sit on my right 
hand, and on my left, is not mine to 
give, but it shall he given to them for 
whom it is prepared of my Father. 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XX. 251 

The first thing we should notice in these verses, is the 
clear announcement which the Lord Jesus Christ makes 
of His own approaching death. For the third time we 
find Him telling His disciples the astounding truth, that 
He, their wonder-working Master, must soon suffer 
and die. 

The Lord Jesus knew from the beginning, all that was 
before Him. The treachery of Judas Iscariot, — the 
fierce persecution of the chief-priests and scribes, — the 
unjust judgment, — the delivery to Pontius Pilate, — -the 
mocking, — the scourging, — the crown of thorns, — the 
cross, — the hanging between two malefactors, — the nails, 
— the spear, — all. all were spread before His mind like a 
picture. 

How great an aggravation of suffering fore-know- 
ledge is, those know well who have lived in the prospect 
of some fearful surgical operation. Yet none of these 
things moved our Lord. He says, " I was not rebellious, 
neither turned away back. I gave my back to the 
smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the 
hair : I hid not my face from shame and spitting." 
(Isaiah 1. 5, 6.) He saw Calvary in the distance all His 
life through, and yet walked calmly up to it, without 
turning to the right hand or to the left. Surely there 
never was sorrow like unto His sorrow, or love like His 
love. 

The Lord Jesus Was a voluntary sufferer. When He 
died on the cross, it was not because He had not power 
to prevent it. He suffered intentionally, deliberately, and 
of His own free-will. (John x. 18.) He knew that with- 
out shedding of His blood there could be no remission of 



252 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

man's sin. He knew that He was the Lamb of G-od, who 
must die to take away the sin of the world. He knew 
that His death was the appointed sacrifice, which must be 
offered up to make reconciliation for iniquity. Knowing 
all this, He went willingly to the cross. His heart was 
set on finishing the mighty work He came into the world 
to do. He was well aware that all hinged on His own 
death, and that, without that death, His miracles and 
preaching would have done comparatively nothing for the 
world. No wonder that He thrice pressed on the atten- 
tion of His disciples that He "must needs" die. Blessed 
and happy are they who know the real meaning and 
importance of the sufferings of Christ ! 

The next thing that we should notice in these verses, 
is the mixture of ignorance and faith that may be found, 
even in true-hearted Christians. We see the mother of 
James and John coming to our Lord with her two sons, 
and preferring on their behalf a strange petition. She 
asks that they "may sit, one on His right hand, and the 
other on His left in His kingdom/'' She seems to have 
forgotten all He had just been saying about His suffer- 
ing. Her eager mind can think of nothing but His 
glory. His plain warnings about the crucifixion, appear 
to have been thrown away on her sons. Their thoughts 
were full of nothing but His throne, and the day of His 
power. There was much of faith in their request, but 
there was much more of infirmity. There was some- 
thing to be commended, in that they could see in Jesus 
of Nazareth a coming king. But there was also much 
to blame, in that they did not remember that He was to 
be crucified before He could reign. Truly the flesh 



' 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XX. 253 

lusteth against the spirit in all (rod's children, and Luther 
well remarks, " the flesh ever seeks to be glorified before 
it is crucified." 

There are many Christians, who are very like this 
woman and her sons. They see in part, and know in 
part, the things of God. They have faith enough to 
follow Christ. They have knowledge enough to bate 
sin, and come out from the world. And yet there are 
many truths of Christianity, of which they are deplora- 
bly ignorant. They talk ignorantly, they act ignorantly, 
and commit many sad mistakes. Their acquaintance 
with the Bible is very scanty, Their insight into their 
own hearts is very small. — But we must learn from these 
verses to deal gently with such people, because the Lord 
has received them. We must not set them down as 
graceless and godless, because of their ignorance. We 
must remember that true faith may lie at the bottom of 
their hearts, though there is much rubbish at the top. 
We must reflect that the sons of Zebedee, whose know- 
ledge was at one time so imperfect, became at a later 
period pillars of the Church of Christ. Just so a believer 
may begin his course in much darkness, and yet prove 
finally a man mighty in the Scriptures, and a worthy 
follower of James and John. 

The last thing that we should notice in these verses, 
is the solemn reproof lohich our Lord gives to the ignorant 
request of the mother of Zebedee' s children andhertivo sons. 
He says to them, " Ye know not what you ask." They 
had asked to share in their Master's reward, but they 
had not considered that they must first be partakers in 
heir Master's sufferings. (1 Pet. iv. 13.) They had for- 



254 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

gotten that those who would stand with Christ in glory, 
must drink of His cup, and be baptized with His baptism. 
They did not see that those who carry the cross, and 
those alone, shall receive the crown. . Well might our 
Lord say, " Ye know not what ye ask/' 

But do we never commit the same mistake that the 
sons of Zebedee committed ? Do we never fall into their 
error, and make thoughtless, inconsiderate requests ? Do 
we not often say things in prayer without " counting the 
cost," and ask for things to be granted to us, without 
reflecting how much our supplications involve ? These 
are heart-searching questions. It may well be feared 
that many of us cannot give them a satisfactory answer. 

We ask that our souls may be saved and go to heaven, 
when we die. It is a good request indeed. But are we 
prepared to take up the cross, and follow Christ ? Are 
we willing to give up the world for His sake ? Are we 
ready to put off the old man, and put on the new — to 
fight, to labor, and to run so as to obtain ? Are we 
ready to withstand a taunting world, and endure hard- 
ships for Christ's sake ? — What shall we say ? If we 
are not so ready, our Lord might say to us also, " Ye 
know not what ye ask/' 

We ask that God would make us holy and good. It 
is a good request indeed. But are we prepared to be 
sanctified by any process that God in His wisdom may 
call on us to pass through ? Are we ready to be purified 
by affliction, weaned from the world by bereavements, 
drawn nearer to God by losses, sicknesses, and sorrow ? 
Alas ! these are hard questions. But if we are not, our 
Lord might well say to us, " Ye know not what ye ask." 



chap. xx. 255 

Let us leave these verses with a solemn resolution to 
consider well what we are about, when we draw nigh to 
God in prayer. Let us beware of thoughtless, incon- 
siderate and rash petitions. Well might Solomon say, 
" Be not rash with thy mouth, arid let not thine heart 
be hasty to utter anything before God/' (Eccles. v. 2.) 



MATTHEW XX. 24-28. 



24 And when the ten heard it, they 
were moved with indignation against 
the two "brethren. 

25 But Jesus called them unto Jam, 
and said, Ye know that the princes of 
the Gentiles exercise dominion over 
them, and they that are great exercise 
authority upon them. 

26 But it shall not he so among 



you : but whosoever will be great a- 
mong you, let him be your minister : 

27 And whosoever will be chief 
among you, let him be your ser- 
vant. 

28 Even as the Son of man came 
not to be ministered unto, but to min- 
ister, and to give his life a ransom 
for many. 



These verses are few in number, but they contain lessons 
of great importance to all professing Christians. Let us 
see what they are. 

In the first place we learn, that there may be pride, 
jealousy, and love of preeminence even among true disciples 
of Christ. Whatsaith the Scripture ? "When the ten 
heard" what James and John had asked, " they were 
moved with indignation against the two brethren." 

Pride is one of the oldest and most mischievous of 
sins. By it the angels fell ; — for " they kept not their 
first estate." (Jude 6.) Through pride Adam and Eve 
were seduced into eating the forbidden fruit. They were 
not content with their lot, and thought " they would 
be as Gods." From pride the saints of God receive their 
greatest injuries after their conversion. Well says Hooker, 
" Pride is a vice, which cleaveth so fast unto the hearts 



256 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

of men, that if we were to strip ourselves of all faults, 
one by one, we should undoubtedly find, it the very last 
and. hardest to put off." It is a quaint but true saying 
of Bishop Hall, that " pride is the inmost coat, which we 
put off last, and which we put on first." 

In the second place we learn, that a life of self-denying 
kindness toothers is the true secret of greatness in thehing- 
dom of Christ. What saith the Scripture ? " Whosoever 
will be great among you, let him be your minister: — 
Whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your 
servant." 

The standard of the world, and the standard of the 
Lord Jesus, are indeed widely different. They are more 
than different. They are flatly contradictory one to the 
other. Among the children of this world, he is thought 
the greatest man who has most land, most money, most 
servants, most rank, and most earthly power. Among 
the children of God, he is reckoned the greatest who does 
most to promote the spiritual and temporal happiness of 
his fellow-creatures. True greatness consists not in re- 
ceiving, but in giving, — not in selfish absorption of good 
things, but in imparting good to others — not in being 
served, but in serving — not in sitting still and being min- 
istered to, but in going about and ministering to others. 
The angels of G-od see far more beauty in the work of the 
Missionary, than in the work of the Australian digger 
for gold. They take far more interest in the labors of 
men like Howard and Judson, than in the victories of 
generals, the political speeches of statesmen, or the 
council-chambers of kings. Let us remember these 
things. Let us beware of seeking false greatness. Let 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XX. ^ 257 

us aim at that which alone is true. We may be sure 
there is profound wisdom in that saying of ourLord's, "It 
is more blessed to give than to receive." (Acts xx. 35.) 

In the third place, we learn that the Lord Jesus 
Christ is intended to be the example of all true Christians. 
What saith the Scripture ? We ought to serve one an- 
other, "even as the Son of man came not to be minis- 
tered unto, but to minister." 

The Lord God has mercifully provided His people 
with everything necessary to their sanctiflcation. He has 
given those who follow after holiness the clearest of pre- 
cepts, the best of motives, and the most encouraging of 
promises. But this is not all. He has furthermore sup- 
plied them with the most perfect pattern and example, 
even the life of His own Son. By that life he bids us 
frame our own. In the steps of that life He bids us 
walk. (1 Peter ii. 21.) It is the model after which we 
must strive to mold our tempers, our words, and our 
works, in this evil World. — " Would my Master have 
spoken in this manner ? Would my Master have be- 
haved in this way ?" — These are the questions by which 
we ought daily to try ourselves. 

How humbling this truth is ! What searchings of 
heart it ought to raise within us ! What a loud call it is 
to " lay aside every weight, and the sin which most easily 
besets us !" What manner of persons ought they to be 
who profess to copy Christ ! What poor unprofitable 
religion is that which makes a man content with talking 
and empty profession, while his life is unholy and un- 
clean ! Alas ! those who know nothing of Christ, as an 
example, will find at last that He knows nothing of them 



258 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

as His saved people. u He that saith he abideth in Him 
ought himself also so to walk even as he walked/' (1 
John ii. 6.) 

Finally, let ns learn from these verses, that Christ's death 
ivas an atonement for sin. What saith the Scripture? "The 
Son of man came to give his life a ransom for many.'" 

This is the mightiest truth in the Bible. Let us 
take care that we grasp it firmly, and never let it go. 
Our Lord Jesus Christ did not die merely as a martyr, 
or as a splendid example of self-sacrifice and self-denial. 
Those who can see no more than that in His death, fall 
infinitely short of the truth. They lose sight of the very 
foundation-stone of Christianity, and miss the whole 
comfort of the Gospel. Christ died as a sacrifice for 
man's sin. He died to make reconciliation for man's 
iniquity. He died to purge our sins by the offering of 
Himself. He died to redeem us from the curse which 
we all deserved, and to make satisfaction to the justice 
of God, which must otherwise have condemned us. Never 
let us forget this ! 

We are all by nature debtors. We owe to our holy 
Maker ten thousand talents, and are not able to pay. 
We cannot atone for our own transgressions, for we are 
weak and frail, and only adding to our debts every day. 
Bat, blessed be God ! what we could not do, Christ came 
into the world to do for us. What we could not pay, 
He undertook to pay for us. To pay it He died for us 
upon the cross. " He offered himself to God." (Heb. 
ix. 14.) " He suffered for sin, the just for the unjust, 
that He might bring us to God." (1 Peter iii. 18.) Once 
more, never let us forget this ! 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XX. 



259 



Let us not leave these verses without asking ourselves, 
where is our humility? what is our idea of true greatness? 
what is our example ? what is our hope? — Life, eternal 
life, depends on the answer we give to these questions. 
Happy is that man who is truly humble, strives to do 
good in his day, walks in the steps of Jesus, and rests all 
his hopes on the ransom paid for him by Christ's blood. 
Such a man is a true Christian ! 



MATTHEW XX. 29—34. 



29 And as they departed from Je- 
richo, a great multitude followed 
him. 

30 And, behold, two blind men 
sitting by the way side, when they 
heard" that Jesus passed by, cried out, 
saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, 
thou Son of David. 

31 And the multitude rebuked 
them, because they should hold their 
peace : but they cried the more, say- 



ing, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou 
Son of David. 

32 And Jesus stood still, and called 
them, and said, What will ye that I 
shall do unto you ? 

33 They say unto him, Lord, that 
our eyes may be opened. 

34 So Jesus had compassion on 
them, and touched their eyes : and 
immediately their eyes received sight, 
and they followed him. 



In these verses we have a touching picture of an event 
in our Lord's history. He heals two blind men sitting 
by the way side near Jericho. The circumstances of the 
event contain several deeply interesting lessons, which all 
professing Christians would do well to remember. 

For one thing, let us mark ivliat strong faith may 
sometimesbefound,ivliereit might least havebeen expected. 
Blind as these two men were, they believed that Jesus 
was able to help them. They never saw any of our 
Lord's miracles. They knew Him only by hear-say, and 
not face to face. And yet, as soon as they heard that 
He was passing by, they " cried out, saying, Have mercy 
on us, Lord, thou Son of David." 



260 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

Such faith may well put us to shame. With all our 
books of evidence, and lives of saints, and libraries of 
divinity, how few know anything of simple, childlike 
confidence in Christ's mercy and Christ's power. And 
even among those who are believers, the degree of faith 
is often strangely disproportionate to the privileges en- 
joyed. Many an unlearned man, who can only read 
his New Testament with difficulty, posesses the spirit of 
unhesitating trust in Christ's advocacy, while deeply- 
read divines are harassed by questionings and doubts. 
They who, humanly speaking, ought to be first, are often 
last, and the last first. 

For another thing, let us mark ivliat wisdom there is 
in using every opportunity for getting good for our souls. 
These blind men sat " by the wayside/' Had they not 
clone so, they might never have been healed. Jesus 
never returned to Jericho, and they might never have 
met with Him again. 

Let us see, in this simple fact, the importance of dili- 
gence in the use of means of grace. Let us never 
neglect the house of God, — never forsake the assembling 
of ourselves with God's people, — never omit the reading 
of our Bibles — never let drop the practice of private 
prayer. These things, no doubt, will not save us without 
the grace of the Holy Ghost. Thousands make use of 
them, and remain dead in trespasses and sins. But it is 
just in the use of these things that souls are converted 
and saved. They are the ways in which Jesus walks. 
It is they who "sit by the way-side" who are likely to be 
healed. Do we know the diseases of our souls ? Do we 
feel any desire to see the great Physician ? If we do, 



261 

we must not wait in idleness, saying, "If I am to be 
saved, I shall be saved." We must arise and go to the 
road where Jesus walks. Who can tell but He will 
soon pass by for the last time ? Let us sit daily by the 
way-side. 

For another thing, let us mark the value of pains and 
perseverance in seeking Christ. These blind men were 
" rebuked" by the multitude, that accompanied our Lord. 
Men told them to " hold their peace." But they were 
not to be silenced in this way. They felt their need of 
help. They cared nothing for the check which they 
received. " They cried the more, saying, Have mercy 
on us, Lord, thou Son of David." 

We have in this part of their conduct, a most import- 
ant example. We are not to be deterred by opposition, 
or discouraged by difficulties, when we begin to seek the 
salvation of our souls. We must " pray always and not 
faint." (Luke xviii. 1.) We must remember the parable 
of the importunate widow, and of the friend who came to 
borrow bread at midnight. Like them we must press our 
petitions at the throne of grace, and say, " I will not 
let thee go, except thou bless me." (Gen. xxxii. 26.) 
Friends, relatives, and neighbors may say unkind things, 
and reprove our earnestness. We may meet with cold- 
ness and want of sympathy, where we might have looked 
for help. But let none of these things move us. If we 
feel our diseases, and want to find Jesus, the great 
Physician — if we know our sins, and desire to have them 
pardoned — let us press on. " The violent take the king- 
dom by force." (Matt. xi. 12.) 

Finally, let lis mark hoio gracious the Lord Jesus is tc 



262 



EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 



those who seek Him. " He stood still and called" the 
blind men. He kindly asked them what it was that 
they desired. He heard their petition, and did what they 
requested. He " had compassion on them, and touched 
their eyes — and immediately their eyes received sight." 

We see here an illustration of that old truth, which we 
can never know too well, the mercifulness of Christ's 
heart towards the sons of men. The Lord Jesus is not 
only a mighty Saviour, but merciful, kind, and gracious 
to a degree that our minds cannot conceive. Well might 
the apostle Paul say, that " the love of Christ passeth 
knowledge." (Ephes. iii. 19.) Like him^ let us pray that 
we may "know" more of that love. We need it when 
we first begin our Christian course, poor trembling peni- 
tents, and babes in grace. We need it afterwards, as we 
travel along the narrow way, often erring, often stum- 
bling, and often cast down. We shall need it in the 
evening of our days, when we go down the valley of the 
shadow of death. Let us then grasp the love of Christ 
firmly, and keep it daily before our minds. We shall 
never know, till we wake up in the next world, how 
much we are indebted to it. 



MATTHEW XXI. 1—11, 



1 And when they drew nigh unto 
Jerusalem, and were come to Beth- 
phage, unto the mount of Olives, then 
sent Jesus two disciples, 

2 Saying unto them, Go into the 
village over against you, and straight- 
way ye shall rind an ass tied, and a 
colt with her: loose them, and bring 
them unto me. 

3 And if any man say ought unto 
you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need 
«>t them; and straightway he will 
hciuI them. 



4 All this was done, that it might 
be fulfilled which was spoken by the 
prophet, saying, 

5 Tell ye the daughter of Sion, 
Behold, th'y king eometh unto thee,, 
meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a 
colt the foal of an ass. 

6 And the disciples went, and did 
as Jesus commanded them. 

7 And brought the ass, and the colt, 
and put on them their clothes, and 
they set him thereon. 

8 And a very great multitude spread 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XXI. 



263 



their garments in the way ; others cut 
down branches from the trees, and 
strawed them in the "way. 

9 And the multitudes that went 
before, and that followed, cried, say- 
ing, Hosanna to the Son of David : 
Blessed is he that cometh in the name 



of the Lord ; Hosanna in the highest. 

10 And when he was come into Je- 
rusalem, all the city was moved, say- 
ing, Who is this ? 

11 And the multitude said, This is 
Jesus, the prophet of Nazareth of 
Galilee. 



These verses contain a very remarkable passage in our 
Lord Jesus Christ's life. They describe His public 
entry into Jerusalem, when He came there for the last 
time, before He was crucified. 

There is something peculiarly striking in this incident 
in our Lord's history. The narrative reads like the 
account of some royal conqueror's return to his own city. 
" A very great multitude" accompanies him in a kind 
of triumj)hal procession. Loud cries and expressions of 
praise are heard around him. " All the city was moved." 
The whole transaction is singularly at variance with the 
past tenor of our Lord's life. It is curiously unlike the 
ways of Him who did not " cry, nor strive, nor let His 
voice be heard in the streets" — who withdrew Himself 
from the multitude on other occasions — and said to those 
He healed, " see thou say nothing to any Man." (Mark 
i. 44.) And yet the whole transaction admits of ex- 
planation. The reasons of this public entry are not 
hard to find out. — Let us see what they were. 

The plain truth is, that our Lord knew well that 
the time of His earthly ministry was drawing to a 
close. He knew that the hour was approaching when 
He must finish the mighty work He came to do, by 
dying for our sins upon the cross. He knew that 
His last journey had been accomplished, and that there 
remained nothing now in His earthly ministry, but to 



264 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

be offered as a sacrifice on Calvary. Knowing all 
this, He no longer, as in time past, sought secrecy. 
Knowing all this, He thought it good to enter the place 
where He was to be delivered to death, with peculiar 
solemnity and publicity. It was not fitting that the 
Lamb of God should come to be slain on Calvary 
privately and silently. Before the great sacrifice for the 
sins of the world was offered up, it was right that every 
eye should be fixed on the victim. It was suitable that 
the crowning act of our Lord's life should be done with 
as much notoriety as possible. Therefore it was that He 
made this public entry. Therefore it was that He 
attracted to himself the eyes of the wondering multitude. 
Therefore it was that all Jerusalem was moved. The 
atoning blood of the Lamb of God was about to be 
shed. The deed was not to be " done in a corner." 
(Acts xxvi. 26.) 

It is good to remember these things. The real mean- 
ing of our Lord's conduct at this period of His history 
is not sufficiently considered by many readers of this pas- 
sage. It remains for us to consider the practical lessons 
which these verses appear to point out. 

In the first place, let us notice in these verses an 
example of our Lord Jesus Christ's perfect knoivledge. 
He sends His two disciples into a village. He tells them 
that they will there find the ass on which he was to ride. 
He provides them with an answer to the inquiry of those 
to whom the ass belonged. He tells them that on giving 
that answer the ass will be sent. And all happens 
exactly as He foretells. 

There is nothing hid from the Lord's eyes. There are 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XXI. 265 

no secrets with Him. Alone or in company, by night or 
by day, in private or in public, He is acquainted with all 
our ways. He that saw Nathanael under the fig-tree is 
unchanged. Go where we will, and retire from the 
world as we may, we are never out of sight of Christ. 

This is a thought that ought to exercise a restraining 
and sanctifying effect on our souls. We all know the 
influence which the presence of the rulers of this world 
has upon their subjects. Nature itself teaches us to put 
a check on our tongues, and demeanor, and behavior, 
when we are under the eye of a king, The sense of our 
Lord Jesus Christ's perfect knowledge of all our ways, 
ought to have the same effect upon our hearts. Let us 
do nothing we would not like Christ to see, and say 
nothing we would not like Christ to hear. Let us seek 
to live and move and have our being under a continual 
recollection of Christ's presence. Let us behave as we 
would have clone had we walked beside Him, in the 
company of James and John, by the sea of Gralilee. This 
is the way to be trained for heaven. In heaven, " we 
shall ever be with the Lord" (1 Thess. iv. 17.) 

In the second place, let us notice in these verses an ex- 
ample of the manner in which prophecies concerning our 
Lord's first coming were fulfilled. We are told that His 
public entry fulfilled the words of Zechariah, " Thy King 
cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass." 

It appears that this prediction was literally and ex- 
actly fulfilled. The words which the prophet spake by 
the Holy Grhost received no figurative accomplishment. 
As he said, so it came to pass. As he foretold, so it was 
done. Five hundred and fifty years had passed away 

12 



266 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

since the prediction was made, — and then, when the ap- 
pointed time arrived, the long-promised Messiah did 
literally ride into Zion on an ass. No doubt the vast 
majority of the inhabitants of Jerusalem saw nothing in 
the circumstance. The veil was upon their hearts. But 
we are not left in doubt as to the fulfilment of the pro- 
phecy. We are told plainly, " all this was done that it 
might be fulfilled." 

From the fulfilment of God's word in time past, we 
are surely intended to gather something as to the manner 
of its fulfilment in time to come. We have a right to 
expect that prophecies respecting the second advent of 
Christ, will be as literally fulfilled as those respecting His 
first advent. He came to this earth literally in person the 
first time. He will come to this earth literally in person 
the second time. He came in humiliation once literally 
to suffer. He will come again in glory literally to reign. 
Every prediction respecting things accompanying His 
first advent was literally accomplished. It will be just 
the same when He returns. All that is foretold about 
the restoration of the Jews, — the judgments on the un- 
godly, — the unbelief of the world, — the gathering of the 
elect, — shall be made good to the letter. Let us not 
forget thin. In the study of unfulfilled prophecy, a fixed 
principle of interpretation is of the first importance. 

Finally, let us notice in these verses a striking example 
of the worthies sness of man' *s favor. Of all the multitudes 
who crowded round our Lord as He entered Jerusalem, 
none stood by Him when He was delivered into the 
hands of wicked men. Many cried, Hosanna, who four 
days after cried, " away with Him, crucify Him." 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XXI. 



267 



But this is a faithful picture of human nature. This 
is a proof of the utter folly of thinking more of the praise 
of man than the praise of God. Nothing in truth is so 
fickle and uncertain as popularity. It is here to-day and 
gone to-morrow. It is a sandy foundation, and sure to 
fail those who build upon it. Let us not care for it. Let 
us seek the favor of Him who is " the same yesterday, 
and to-day, and for ever." (Heb. xiii. 8.) Christ never 
changes. Those whom He loves, He loves to the end. 
His favor endureth for ever. 



MATTHEW XXI. 12—22. 



12 And Jesus went into the temple 
of God, and cast out all them that 
sold and bought in the temple, and 
overthrew the tables of the money- 
changers, and the seats of them that 
sold doves. 

13 And said unto them, It is writ- 
ten, My house shall be called the house 
of prayer ; but ye have made it a den 
of thieves. 

14 And the blind and the lame came 
to him in the temple; and he healed 
them. 

15 And when the Chief Priests and 
Scribes saw the wonderful things that 
he did, and the children crying in the 
temple, and saying, Hosanna to the 
Son of David; they were sore dis- 
pleased, 

16 And said unto him, Hearestthou 
what these say ? And Jesus saith unto 
them, Yea ; have ye never read, Out 
of the mouths of babes and sucklings 
thou hast perfected praise ? 

17 And he left them, and went out 



of the city into Bethany ; and he 
lodged there. 

18 Now in the morning as he re- 
turned into the city, he hungered. 

19 And when he saw a fig tree in 
the way, he came to it, and found 
nothing thereon, but leaves only, and 
said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee 
henceforward forever. And presently 
the fig tree withered away. 

20 And when the disciples saw it, 
they marvelled, saying, How soon is 
the fig tree withered away ! 

21 Jesus answered and said unto 
them, Verily I say unto you, If ye 
have faith, and doubt not, ye shall 
not only do this which is done to the 
fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto 
this mountain, Be thou removed, and 
be thou cast into the sea ; it shall be 
done. 

22 And all tilings, whatsoever ye 
shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall 
receive. 



We have in these verses an account of two remarkable 
events in our Lord's history. In both, there was some- 
thing eminently figurative and typical. Each was an 
emblem of spiritual things. Beneath the surface of each, 
lie lessons of solemn instruction. 



268 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 






The first event that demands our attention, is our 
Lord's visit to the temple. He found His Father's house 
in a state which too truly shadowed forth the general con- 
dition of the whole Jewish church — everything out of 
order, and out of course. He found the courts of that 
holy "building disgracefully profaned by worldly trans- 
actions. Trading, and buying, and selling, were actually 
going on within its walls. There stood dealers ready to 
supply the Jew who came from distant countries, with 
any sacrifice he wanted. There sat the money-changer, 
ready to change his foreign money for the current coin 
of the land. Bullocks, and sheep, and goats, and pigeons, 
were there exposed for sale, as if the place had been a 
market. The jingling of money might there be heard, 
as if these holy courts had been a bank or an exchange. 
Such were the scenes that met our Lord's eyes. He saw 
it all with holy indignation. " He cast out all them that 
sold and bought." He " overthrew the tables of the 
money-changers." Resistance there was none, for men 
knew that He was right. Objection there was none, for 
all felt that he was only reforming a notorious abuse, 
which had been basely permitted for the sake of gain. 
Well might He sound in the ears of the astonished 
traders, as they fled from the temple : " It is written, My 
house shall be called the house of prayer ; but ye have 
made it a den of thieves." 

Let us see in our Lord's conduct on this occasion, a 
striking type of what He will do when He comes again 
the second time. He will purify His visible church as 
He purified the temple. He will cleanse it from every- 
thing that defiles and works iniquity, and cast every 



269 

worldly professor out of its pale. He will allow no 
worshipper of money, or lover of gain, to have a place in 
that glorious temple, which He will finally exhibit before 
the world. May we all strive to live in the daily ex- 
pectation of that coming ! May w T e judge ourselves, that 
we be not condemned and cast out in that searching and 
sifting day ! We should often study those words of 
Malachi : " Who may abide the day of His coming ? 
and who shall stand when He appeareth ? for He is like a 
refiner's fire, and like fuller's soap." (Mai. iii. 2.) 

The second event that demands our attention in these 
verses, is our Lord's curse upon the fruitless Jig-tree. 
We are told, that being hungry He came to a fig-tree in 
the way, and "found nothing thereon, but leaves only, 
and said unto it, let no fruit grow on thee henceforward 
for ever. And presently the fig-tree withered away." 
This is an incident almost without parallel in all our 
Lord's ministry. It is almost the only occasion on which 
we find Him making one of His creatures suffer, in order 
to teach a spiritual truth. There was a heart-searching 
lesson in that withered fig-tree. It preaches a sermon 
we shall all do well to hear. 

That fig-tree, full of leaves, but barren of fruit, was a 
striking emblem of the Jewish church, when our Lord was 
upon earth. The Jewish church had everything to make 
an outward show. It had the temple, the priesthood, 
the daily service, the yearly feasts, the Old Testament 
Scriptures, the courses of the Levites, the morning and 
evening sacrifice. But beneath these goodly leaves, the 
Jewish church was utterly destitute of fruit. It had no 
grace, no faith, no love, no humility, no spirituality, no 



270 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

real holiness, no willingness to receive its Messiah. (John 
i. 11.) And hence, like the fig-tree, the Jewish church 
was soon to wither away. It was to he stripped of all its 
outward ornaments, and its memhers scattered over the 
face of the earth. Jerusalem was to be destroyed. The 
temple was to be burned. The daily sacrifice was to be 
taken away. The tree was to wither away to the very 
ground. And so it came to pass. Never was there a 
type so literally fulfilled. In every wandering Jew we 
see a branch of the fig-tree that was crushed. 

But we may not stop here. We may find even more 
instruction in the event we are now considering. These 
things were written for our sakes, as well as for the Jews. 

Is not every fruitless branch of Christ's visible church 
in an awful danger of becoming a withered fig-tree ? Be- 
yond doubt it is. High ecclesiastical profession, without 
holiness among a people, — overweening confidence in 
councils, bishops, liturgies, and ceremonies, while repen- 
tance and faith have been neglected, — have ruined 
many a visible church in time past, and may yet ruin 
many more. Where are the once famous churches of 
Ephesus, and Sardis, and Carthage, and Hippo ? They 
are all gone. They had leaves, but no fruit. Our 
Lord's curse came upon them. They became withered 
fig-trees. The decree went forth, " Hew them down." 
(Dan. iv. 23.) Let us remember this. Let us beware 
of Church-pride. Let us not be high-minded, but fear 
(Rom. ii. 20.) 

Finally, is not every fruitless professor of Christianity 
in awful danger of becoming a withered fig-tree ? There 
can be no doubt of it. So long as a man is content with 



271 

the leaves of religion—with a name to live while he is 
dead, and a form of godliness without the power— so long 
his soul is in great peril. So long as he is satisfied with 
going to church or chapel, and receiving the Lord's supper, 
and heing called a Christian, while his heart is not 
changed, and his sins not forsaken — so long he is daily- 
provoking God to cut him off without remedy. Fruit, 
fruit— the fruit of the Spirit, is the only sure proof 
that we are savingly united to Christ, and in the way 
to heaven. May this sink down into our hearts, and 
never be forgotten ! 



MATTHEW XXI. 23—32. 



23 And when he was come into the 
temple, the Chief Priests and the 
elder3 of the people came unto him 
as he was teaching, and said, By what 
authority doest thou these things? 
and who gave thee this authority 't 

24 And Jesus answered and said 
unto them, I also will ask you one 
thing, which if ye tell me, I in like 
wise will tell you by what authority 
I do these things. 

25 The baptism of John, whence 
was it ? from heaven, or of men ? And 
they reasoned with themselves, say- 
ing, If we shall say. From heaven ; 
he will say unto us, Why did ye not 
then believe him ? 

26 But if we shall say, Of men ; 
we fear the people ; for all hold John 
as a prophet. 

27 And they answered Jesus, 
and said, We cannot tell. And he 
said unto them, Neither tell I you by 



what authority I do these things. 

28 But what think ye ? A certain 
man had two sons ; and he came to 
the first, and said. Son, go work to 
day in my vineyard. 

29 He answered, and said, I will 
not : but afterward he repented, and 
went. 

30 And he came to the second, and 
said likewise. And he answered and 
said, I goj sir : and went not. 

31 Whether of them twain did the 
will of Ms father? They say unto 
him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, 
Verily I say unto you, That the Pub- 
licans and the harlots go into the 
kingdom of God before you. 

32 For John came unto you in the 
way of righteousness, and ye believed 
him not; but the Publicans and the 
harlots believed him ; and ye, when 
ye had seen it, repentednot afterward, 
that ye might believe him. 



These verses contain a conversation between our Lord 
Jesus Christ, and the chief priests and elders of the 
people. Those hitter enemies of all righteousness saw 



272 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

the sensation which the public entry into Jerusalem, and 
the cleansing of the temple, had produced. At once they 
came about our Lord like bees, and endeavored to find 
occasion for an accusation against Him. 

Let us observe, in the first place, howready the enemies 
of truth are to question the authority of all who do more 
good than themselves. The chief priests have not a word 
to say about our Lord's teaching. They make no charge 
against the lives or conduct of Himself or His followers. 
The point on which they fasten is his commission : " By 
what authority doest thou these things ? and who gave 
thee this authority ?" 

The same charge has often been made against the 
servants of God, when they have striven to check the 
progress of ecclesiastical corruption. It is the old engine 
by which the children of this world have often labored 
to stop the progress of revivals and reformations. It is 
the weapon which was often brandished in the face of the 
Eeformers, the Puritans, and the Methodists of the last 
century. It is the poisoned arrow which is often shot at 
city-missionaries and lay-agents in the present day. Too 
many care nothing for the manifest blessing of God on 
man's work, so long as he is not sent forth by their own 
sect or party. It matters nothing to them, that some 
humble laborer in God's harvest can point to numerous 
conversions of souls through his instrumentality. They 
still cry, " By what authority doest thou these things ?" 

His success is nothing : they demand his commission. 
His cures are nothing : they want his diploma. Let us 
neither be surprised nor moved, when we hear such 
things. It is the old charge which was brought against 



273 

Christ Himself. "There is no new thing under the 
sun." (Eccles. i. 9.) 

Let us observe, in the second place, the consummate 
ivisdom with which our Lord replied to the question put to 
Him. His enemies had asked Him for His authority for 
doing what He did. They doubtless intended to make 
His answer a handle for accusing Him. He knew the 
drift of their inquiry, and said, "I also will ask you one 
thing, which if ye tell me, I in likewise will tell you by 
what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, 
whence was it ? from heaven or of men ?" 

We must distinctly understand, that in this answer of 
our Lord's there was no evasion. To suppose this is a 
great mistake. The counter question which He asked, 
was in reality an answer to His enemies' inquiry. He 
knew they dared not deny that John the Baptist was a 
man sent from God. He knew that, this being granted, 
he needed only to remind them of John's testimony to 
Himself — Had not John declared him to be " the Lamb 
of God that taketh away the sin of the world ?" Had 
not John pronounced Him to be the Mighty One, who 
was to " baptize with the Holy Ghost ?" — In short, our 
Lord's question was a home-thrust to the conscience of 
His enemies. If they once conceded the divine authority 
of John the Baptist's mission, they must also concede the 
divinity of His own. If they acknowledged that John 
came from heaven, they must acknowledge that He 
Himself was the Christ. 

Let us pray that, in this difficult world, we may be 
supplied with the same kind of wisdom which was here 
displayed by our Lord. No doubt we ought to act on the 

12* 



274 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

injunction of St. Peter, " and be always ready to give a 
reason of the hope that is in us with meekness and with 
fear." (1 Peter iii. 15.) We ought to shrink from no 
inquiry into the principles of our holy religion, and to be 
ready at any time to defend and explain our practice. 
But for all this, we must never forget that u wisdom is 
profitable to direct," and that we should strive to speak 
wisely in defence of a good cause. The words of Solomon 
deserve consideration : " Answer not a fool according to 
his folly, lest thou be like unto him." (Prov. xxvi. 4.) 

In the last place, let us observe in these verses, what 
immense encouragement our Lord holds out to those who 
repent. We see this strikingly brought out in the para- 
ble of the two sons. Both were told to go and work in their 
father's vineyard. One son, like the profligate publicans, 
for some time flatly refused obedience, bat afterwards 
repented and went. The other, like the formal Phari- 
sees, pretended willingness to go, but in reality went not. 
" Whether of them twain," says our Lord, " did the will 
of his father ?" Even his enemies were obliged to reply. 
" the first." 

Let it be a settled principle in our Christianity, that 
the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is infinitely 
willing to receive penitent sinners. — It matters nothing 
what a man has been in time past. Does he repent, and 
come to Christ ? Then old things are passed away, and all 
things are become new. — It matters nothing how high 
and self-confident a man's profession of religion may be. 
Does he really give up his sins ? If not, his profession is 
abominable in God's sight, and he himself is still under 
the curse. Let us take courage ourselves, if we have 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XXI. 



275 



been great sinners hitherto. Only let us repent and 
believe in Christ, and there is hope. Let us encourage 
others to repent. Let us hold the door wide open to 
the very chief of sinners. Never will that word fail, 
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to for- 
give us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteous- 
ness." (1 John i. 9.) 



MATTHEW XXL 33—46. 



83 Hear another parable : There 
was a certain householder, which 
planted a vineyard, and hedged it 
round about, and digged a winepress 
in it, and built a tower, and let it 
out to husbandmen, and went into a 
far country : 

34 And when the time of the fruit 
drew near, he sent his servants to the 
husbandmen, that they might receive 
the fruits of it. 

35 And the husbandmen took his 
servants, and beat one, and killed an- 
other, and stoned another. 

36 Again, he sent other servants 
more than the first: and they did 
unto them likewise. 

37 But last of all he sent unto them 
his son, saying, They will reverence 
my son. 

38 But when the husbandmen saw 
the son, they said among themselves, 
This is the heir ; come, let us kill him, 
and let us seize on his inheritance. 

39 And they caught him, and cast 
Mm out of the vineyard, and slew 
him. 

40 When the Lord therefore of the 



vineyard cometh, what will he do 
unto those husbandmen ? 

41 They say unto him, He will 
miserably destroy those wicked men, 
and will let out Ms vineyard unto 
other husbandmen, which shall ren- 
der him the fruits in their seasons. 

42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye 
never read in the Scriptures, The 
stone which the builders rejected, the 
same is become the head of the corner: 
this is the Lord's doing, and it is 
marvellous in our eyes ? 

43 Therefore say I unto you, The 
kingdom of God shall be taken from 
you, and given to a nation bringing 
forth the truits thereof. 

44 And whosoever shall fall on this 
stone shall be broken : but on whom- 
soever it shall fall, it will grind him 
to powder. 

45 And when the Chief Priests and 
Pharisees had heard his parables, 
they perceived that he spake of them. 

46 But when they sought to lay 
hands on him, they feared the multi- 
tude, because they took him for a 
prophet. 



The parable contained in these verses was spoken with 
special reference to the Jews. They are the husband- 
men here described. Their sins are set before us here 
as in a picture. Of this there can be no doubt. It is 
written, that " He spake of them." 

But we must not natter ourselves that this parable con- 



276 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

tains nothing for the Gentiles. There are lessons laid 
down for us, as well as for the Jew. Let us see what 
they are. 

We see, in the first place, what distinguishing pri- 
vileges God is pleased to hestoio on some nations. 

He chose Israel to he a peculiar people to Himself. 
He separated them from the other nations of the earth, 
and bestowed on them countless blessings. He gave 
them revelations of Himself, while all the rest of the 
earth was in darkness. He gave them the law, and the 
covenants, anil the oracles of God, while all the world 
beside was let alone. In short, God dealt with the Jews 
as a man deals with a piece of land which he fences out 
and cultivates, while all the fields around are left un- 
tilled and waste. The vineyard of the Lord was the 
house of Israel. (Isai. v. 7.) 

And have we no privileges ? Beyond doubt we have 
many. We have the Bible, and liberty for every one to 
read it. We have the Gospel, and permission to every 
one to hear it. We have spiritual mercies in abundance, 
of which five hundred millions of our fellow men know 
nothing at all. How thankful we ought to be t The 
poorest man in England may say every morning, 
" There are five hundred millions of immortal souls 
worse off than I am. Who am I, that I should differ ? 
Bless the Lord, my soul/' 

We see, in the next place, ivhat a had use nations 
sometimes make of their privileges. 

When the Lord separated the Jews from other people, 
He had a right to expect that they would serve Him, and 
obey His laws. When a man has taken pains with a 



277 

vineyard, lie has a right to expect fruit. But Israel 
rendered not a due return for all God's mercies. They 
mingled with the heathen, and learned their works. 
They hardened themselves in sin and unbelief. They 
turned aside after idols. They kept not God's ordinances. 
They despised God's temple. They refused to listen to 
His prophets. They ill-used those whom he sent to call 
them to repentance. And finally they brought their 
wickedness to a height, by killing the Son of God Him- 
self, even Christ the Lord. 

And what are we doing ourselves with our privileges ? 
Truly that is a serious question, and one that ought to 
make us think. It may well be feared, that we are not, 
as a nation, living up to our light, or walking worthy of 
our many mercies. Must we not confess with shame, 
that millions amongst us seem utterly without God in the 
world ? Must we not acknowledge, that in many a town, 
and in many a village, Christ seems hardly to have any 
disciple, and the Bible seems hardly to be believed ? It 
is vain to shut our eyes to these facts. The fruit that 
the Lord receives from His vineyard in Great Britain, 
compared with what it ought to be, is disgracefully 
small. It may well be doubted whether we are not as 
provoking to Him as the Jews. 

We see, in the next place, ivhat an awful reckoning 
God sometimes has with nations and churches, ivhich 
make a bad use of their privileges. 

A time came w T hen the long-suffering of God towards 
the Jews had an end. Forty years after our Lord's death, 
the cup of their iniquity was at length full, and they 
received a heavy chastisement for their many sins. Their 



278 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

holy city, Jerusalem, was destroyed. Their temple was 
burned. They themselves were scattered over the face of 
the earth. " The kingdom of God was taken from them, 
and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof." 

And will the same thing ever happen to us ? Will 
the judgments of God ever come down on this nation of 
England, because of her unfruitfulness under so many 
mercies ? Who can tell ? We may well cry with the 
prophet, " Lord God, thou knowest." We only know 
that judgments have come on many a church and nation 
in the last 1800 years. The kingdom of God has been 
taken from the African churches. The Mahometan 
power has overwhelmed most of the churches of the East. 
At all events it becomes all believers to intercede much 
on behalf of our country. Nothing offends God so much 
as neglect of privileges. Much has been given to us, 
and much will be required. 

We see, in the last place, the poiver of conscience even 
in ivicked men. 

The chief priests and elders at last discovered that our 
Lord's parable was specially meant for themselves. The 
point of its closing words was too sharp to be escaped. 
" They perceived that he spake of them." 

There are many hearers of the Gospel in every con- 
gregation, who are exactly in the condition of these 
unhappy men. They know that what they hear Sunday 
after Sunday is all true. They know that they are 
wrong themselves, and that every sermon condemns 
them. But they have neither will nor courage to ac- 
knowledge this. They are too proud and too fond of the 
world to confess their past mistakes, and to take up the 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XXII. 



279 



cross and follow Christ. Let us all beware of this awful 
state of mind. The last day will prove that there was 
more going on in the consciences of hearers than was at 
all known to preachers. Thousands and ten thousands 
will be found, like the chief priests, to have been convicted 
by their own conscience, and yet to have died unconverted. 



MATTHEW XXII. 1—14. 



1 And Jesus answered and spake 
unto them again by parables, and 
said, 

2 The kingdom of heaven is like 
unto a certain king, which made a 
marriage for his son, 

3 And sent forth his servants to 
call them that were bidden to the 
wedding ; and they would not come. 

4 Again, he sent forth other ser- 
vants, saying, Tell them which are 
bidden, Behold, I have prepared my 
dinner : my oxen and my fatlings are 
killed, and all thing3 are ready : come 
unto the marriage. 

5 But they made light of it, and 
went their ways, one to his farm, an- 
other to his merchandise : 

6 And the remnant took his ser- 
vants, and entreated them spitefully, 
and slew them. 

7 But when the king heard thereof, 
he was wroth : and he sent forth his 
armies, and destroyed those murder- 
ers, and burned up then city. 



8 Then saith he to his servants, 
The wedding is ready, but they which 
were bidden were not worthy. 

9 Go ye therefore into the high- 
ways, and as many as ye shall find, 
bid to the marriage. 

10 So those servants went out into 
the highways, and gathered together 
all as many as they found, both bad 
and good : and the wedding was fur- 
nished with guests. 

11 And when the king came in to 
see the guests, he saw there a man 
which had not on a wedding garment; 

12 And he saith unto him, Friend, 
how earnest thou in hither not having 
a wedding garment ? And he was 
speechless. 

13 Then said the king to the ser- 
vants, Bind him hand and foot, and 
take him away, and cast him into 
outer darkness ; there shall be weep- 
ing and gnashing of teeth. 

14 For many are called, but few 
are chosen. 



The parable related in these verses is one of very wide 
signification. In its first application it unquestionably 
points to the Jews. But we may not confine it to them. 
It contains heart-searching lessons for all among whom 
the Gospel is preached. It is a spiritual picture which 
speaks to us this day, if we have an ear to hear. The 
remark of Olshausen is wise and true, " parables are like 



280 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

many-sided precious stones, cut so as to cast lustre in 
more than one direction." 

Let us observe, in the first place, that the salvation of 
the Gospel is compared to a marriage feast. The Lord 
Jesus tells us that " a certain king made a marriage for 
his son." 

There is in the Gospel a complete provision for all 
the wants of man's soul. There is a supply of every- 
thing that can be required to relieve spiritual hunger and 
spiritual thirst. Pardon, peace with God, lively hope in 
this world, glory in the world to come, are set before 
us in rich abundance. It is "a. feast of fat things." 
All this provision is owing to the love of the Son of God, 
Jesus Christ our Lord. He offers to take us into union 
with Himself — to restore us to the family of God as dear 
children — to clothe us with His own righteousness — to 
give us a place in His kingdom, and to present us faultless 
before His Father's throne at the last day. The Gospel, 
in short, is an offer of food to the hungry — joy to the 
mourner — a home to the outcast — a loving friend to the 
lost. It is glad tidings. God offers, through His dear 
Son, to be at one with sinful man. Let us not forget 
this : " Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that 
He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for 
our sins." (1 John iv. 10.) 

Let us observe, in the second place, that the invitations 
of the Gospel are wide, full, broad, and unlimited. The 
Lord Jesus tells us in the parable, that the king's servants 
said to those who were bidden, " all things are ready : 
come unto the marriage." 

There is nothing wanting on God's part for the 



MATTHEW, CHAP. l.FJJ. 281 

Balvation of sinners' souls. No one will e^er be able to 
say at last that it was God's fault, if he is not saved. 
The Father is ready to love and receive. The Son is 
ready to pardon and cleanse guilt away. Tho Spirit is 
ready to sanctify and renew. Angels are ready to rejoice 
over the returning sinner. Grace is ready to assist hini. 
The Bible is ready to instruct him. Heaven is ready to 
be his everlasting home. One thing only is needful, and 
that is, the sinner must be ready and willing himself. 
Let this also never be forgotten. Let us not quibble and 
split hairs upon this point. God will be found clear of 
the blood of all lost souls. The Gospel always speaks of 
sinners as responsible and accountable beings. The 
Gospel places an open door before all mankind. No 
one is excluded from the range of its offers. Though 
efficient only to believers, those offers are sufficient for all 
the world. Though few enter the strait gate, all are 
invited to come in. 

Let us observe, in the third place, that the salvation of 
the Gospel is rejected by many to whom it is offered. The 
Lord Jesus tells us, that those whom the king's servants 
bade to the wedding, " made light of it, and went their 
way." 

There are thousands of hearers of the Gospel Who de- 
rive from it no benefit whatever. They listen to it Sunday 
after Sunday, and year after year, and do not believe 
to the saving of the soul. They feel no special need of 
the Gospel. They see no special beauty in it. They do 
not perhaps hate it, or oppose it, or scoff at it, but they 
do not receive it into their hearts. They like other things 
far better. Their money, — their lands, — their business, 



282 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

or their pleasures, are all far more interesting subjects 
to them than their souls. — It is an awful state of mind 
to be in, but awfully common. Let us search our own 
hearts, and take heed that it is not our own. Open sin 
may kill its thousands ; but indifference and neglect of 
the Gospel kill their tens of thousands. Multitudes will 
find themselves in hell, not so much because they openly 
broke the ten commandments, as because they made 
light of the truth. Christ died for them on the cross, 
but they neglected Him. 

Let us observe, in the last place, that all false profes- 
sors of religion will be detected, exposed, and eternally 
condemned at the last day. The Lord Jesus tells us, that 
when the wedding was at last furnished with guests, the 
king came in to see them, and " saw a man which had 
not on a wedding-garment." He asked him how he came 
in there without one, and he received no reply. And he 
then commanded the servants to " bind him hand and 
foot and take him away." 

There will always be some false professors in the 
Church of Christ, as long as the world stands. In this 
parable, as Quesnel says, "One single castaway represents 
all the rest." It is impossible to read the hearts of men. 
Deceivers and hypocrites will never be entirely excluded 
from the ranks of those who call themselves Christians. 
So long as a man professes subjection to the Gospel, 
and lives an outwardly correct life, we dare not say 
positively that he is not clothed in the righteousness of 
Christ. But there will be no deception at the last day. 
The unerring eye of God will discern who are His own 
people, and who are not. Nothing but true faith shall 



283 

abide the fire of His judgment. All spurious Christian- 
ity shall be weighed in the balance and found wanting. 
None but true believers shall sit down at the marriage 
supper of the Lamb. It shall avail the hypocrite 
nothing that he has been a loud talker about religion, 
and had the reputation of being an eminent Christian 
among men. His triumphing shall be but tor a moment. 
He shall be stripped of all his borrowed plumage, and 
stand naked and shivering before the bar of God, speech- 
less, self-condemned, hopeless, and helpless. He shall be 
cast into outer darkness with shame, and reap according 
as he has sown. Well may our Lord say, " there shall 
be weeping and gnashing of teeth." 

Let us learn wisdom from the solemn pictures of this 
parable, and give diligence to make our calling and elec- 
tion sure. We ourselves are among those to whom the 
word is spoken, "All things are ready, come to the 
marriage.''' Let us see that we refuse not him that 
speaketh. Let us not sleep as others do, but watch and 
be sober. Time hastens on. The King will soon come 
in to see the guests. Have we or have we not got on the 
wedding garment ? Have we put on Christ ? That is 
the grand question that arises out of this parable. May 
we never rest till we can give a satisfactory answer ! 
1 May those heart-searching words daily ring in our ears, 
"Many are called, but few are chosen !" 



MATTHEW XXII. 15—22. 



15 Then went the Pharisees, and 
took counsel how they might entangle 
him in Ms talk. 



their disciples with the Herodians, 
saying, Master, we know that thou 
art true, and teachest the way of God 



16 And they sent out unto him I in truth, neither carest thou for any 



284 



EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 



man : for thou regardest not the per- 
son of men. 

17 Tell us therefore, What thinkest 
thou ? Is it lawful to give tribute unto 
Csesar, or not ? 

18 But Jesus perceived their wick- 
edness, and said, Why tempt ye me, 
ye hypocrites 3 

19 Shew me the tribute money. 
And they brought unto him a penny. 



20 And he saith unto them, Whose 
is this image and superscription ? 

21 They say unto him, Caesar's. 
Then saith he unto them, Eender 
therefore unto Csesar the things which 
are Caesar's ; and unto God the things 
which are God's. 

22 When they had heard these 
words, they marvelled, and left him, 
and went their way. 



We see in this passage the first of a series of subtle 
attacks, which were made on our Lord during the last 
days of His earthly ministry. His deadly foes, the 
Pharisees, saw the influence which He was obtaining, 
both by His miracles and by His preaching. They were 
determined by some means to silence Him, or put Him to 
death. They therefore endeavored to " entangle him in 
his talk" They sent forth "their disciples with the Hero- 
dians," to try Him with a hard question. They wished to 
entice Him into saying something which might serve as 
a handle for an accusation against Him. Their scheme, 
we are told in these verses, entirely failed. They took 
nothing by their movement, and retreated in confu- 
sion. 

The first thing which demands our attention in these 
verses, is the flattering language with which our Lord ivas 
accosted by His enemies. " Master," they said, " we know 
that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, 
neither carest thou for any man ; for thou regardest not 
the person of men/' How well these Pharisees and He- 
rodians talked ! What smooth and honeyed words were 
these ! They thought, no doubt, that by good words and 
fair speeches they would throw our Lord off His guard. 
It might truly be said of them, a the words of his mouth 
were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart : his 



285 

words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords." 
(Psalm lv. 21.) 

It becomes all professing Christians to be much on their 
guard against flattery. We mistake greatly if we suppose 
that persecution and hard usage are the only weapons in 
Satan's armory. That crafty foe has other engines for 
doing us mischief, which he knows well how to work. 
He knows how to poison souls by the world's seductive 
kindness, when he cannot frighten them by the fiery dart 
and the sword. Let us not be ignorant of his devices. 
By peace he destroys many. 

We are only too apt to forget this truth. We overlook 
the many examples which Grod has given us in Scripture 
for our learning. What brought about theruin of Samson ? 
Not the armies of the Philistines, but the pretended love 
of a Philistine woman. What led to Solomon's back- 
sliding ? Not the strength of outward enemies, but the 
blandishment of his numerous wives. — What was the 
cause of king Hezekiah's greatest mistake ? Not the 
sword of Sennacherib, or the threats of Kab-shakeh, but 
the flattery of the Babylonian ambassadors. Let us re- 
member these things, and be on our guard. Peace often 
ruins nations more than war. Sweet things occasion far 
more sicknesses than bitter. The sun makes the traveller 
cast off his protective garments far sooner than the north 
wind. Let us beware of the flatterer. Satan is never so 
dangerous as when he appears as an angel of light. The 
world is never so dangerous to the Christian as when it 
smiles. When Judas betrayed his Lord, it was with a kiss. 
The believer that is proof against the world's frown does 
well. But he that is proof against its flattery does better 



286 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

The second thing that demands our attention in these 
verses, is the marvellous wisdom of the reply which oar 
Lord made to His enemies. The Pharisees and Herodians 
asked whether it was lawful to give tribute to Caesar or 
not. They doubtless thought, that they had put a ques- 
tion which our Lord could not answer without giving 
them an advantage. — Had He simply replied that it was 
lawful to pay tribute, they would have denounced Him 
to the people as one who dishonored the privileges of 
Israel, and considered the children of Abraham no longer 
free, but subjects to a foreign power. — Had He, on the 
other hand, replied that it was not lawful to pay tribute, 
they would have denounced Him to the Komans as a 
mover of sedition, and a rebel against Caesar, who refused 
to pay his taxes. — But our Lord's conduct completely 
baffled them. He demanded to see the tribute-money. 
He asks them whose head is on that coin. They reply, 
Caesar's. They acknowledge that Caesar has some authority 
over them, by using money bearing his image and super- 
scription, since he that coins the current money is ruler 
of the land where that money is current. And at once 
they receive an irresistibly conclusive answer to their 
question, — " Render to Caesar the things which are 
Caesar's, and unto God the things which are God's." 

The principle laid down in these well-known words is 
one of deep importance. There is one obedience owing by 
every Christian to the civil government under which he 
lives, in all matters which are temporal, and not purely 
spiritual. He may not approve of every requirement of 
that civil government. But he must submit to the laws 
of the commonwealth, so long as those laws are unre- 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XXII. 287 

pealed. He must " render unto Caesar the things that are 
Caesar's." — There is another obedience which the Chris- 
tian owes to the God of the Bible in all matters which 
are purely spiritual. No temporal loss, no civil disability, 
no displeasure of the powers that be, must ever tempt 
him to do things which the Scripture plainly forbids. 
His position may be very trying. He may have to suffer 
much for his conscience sake. But he must never fly in 
the face of unmistakeable requirements of Scripture. If 
Csesar coins a new Gospel, he is not to be obeyed. We 
must Ci render to God the things that are God's." 

The subject unquestionably is one of great difficulty 
and delicacy. It is certain that the church must not 
swallow up the state. It is no less certain that the state 
must not swallow up the church. On no point, perhaps, 
have conscientious men been so much tried. On no point 
have good men disagreed so much, as in solving the 
problem, " where the things of Caesar end, and the things 
of God begin." The civil power, on the one side, has 
often encroached terribly on the rights of conscience — as 
the English puritans found to their cost in the unhappy 
time of the Stuarts. The spiritual power, on the other 
side, has often pushed its claims to an extravagant ex- 
tent, so as to take Caesar's sceptre out of his hands — as 
it did when the church of Home trampled on our own 
English king John. In order to have a right judgment 
in all questions of this kind, every true Christian should 
constantly pray for wisdom from above. The man whose 
eye is single, and who daily seeks for grace, and practical 
common sense, will never be allowed greatly to err. 



288 



EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 



MATTHEW XXII. 23—33. 



23 And tlie same day came to him 
the Sadducees, which say that there 
is no resurrection, and asked him, 

24 Saying, Master, Mose3 said, If 
a man die, having no children, his 
brother shall marry his wife, and raise 
up seed unto his brother. 

25 Now there were with us seven 
brethren : and the first, when he had 
married a wife, deceased, and, having 
no issue, left his wife unto his brother : 

26 Likewise the second also, and 
the third, unto the seventh. 

27 And last of all the woman died 
also. 

28 Therefore in the resurrection 
whose wife shall she be of the seven ? 
for they all had her. 



29 Jesus answered and said unto 
them, Ye do err, not knowing the 
Scriptures, nor the power of God. 

30 For in the resurrection they 
neither many, nor are given in mar- 
riage, but are as the angels of God in 
heaven. 

31 But as touching the resurrection 
of the dead, have ye not read that 
which was spoken unto you by God, 
saying, 

32 I am the God of Abraham, and 
the God of Isaac, and the God of 
Jacob ? God is not the God of the 
dead, but of the living. 

33 And when the multitude heard 
this, they were astonished at his doc- 
trine. 



This passage describes a conversation between our Lord 
Jesus Christ and the Sadducees. These unhappy men, 
who said that there was "no resurrection/' attempted, 
like the Pharisees and Herodians, to perplex our Lord 
with hard questions. Like them, they hoped " to entangle 
Him in His talk," and to injure His reputation among 
the people. Like them, they were completely baffled. 

Let us observe, in the first place, that absurd sceptical 
objections to Bible truths are ancient things. The Sad- 
ducees wished to show the absurdity of the doctrine of 
the resurrection and the life to come. They therefore 
came to our Lord with a story which was probably in- 
vented for the occasion. They told him that a certain 
woman had married seven brothers in succession, who had 
all died and left no children. They then asked " whose 
wife" this woman would be in the next world, when 
all rose again. The object of the question was plain and 
transparent. They meant, in reality, to bring the whole 
doctrine of a resurrection into contempt. They meant 



289 

to insinuate, that there must needs be confusion, and 
strife, and unseemly disorder, if, after death, men and 
women were to live again. 

It must never surprise us, if we meet with like objec- 
tions against the doctrines of Scripture, and especially 
against those doctrines which concern another world. 
There never probably will be wanting " unreasonable 
men," who will "intrude" into things unseen, and make 
imaginary difficulties their excuse for unbelief. Sup- 
posed cases are one of the favorite strongholds in which 
an unbelieving mind loves to intrench itself. Such a 
mind will often set up a shadow of its own imagining, 
and fight with it, as if it was a truth. Such a mind will 
often refuse to look at the overwhelming mass of plain 
evidence by which Christianity is supported, and will 
fasten down on some one single difficulty, which it fancies 
is unanswerable. The talk and arguments of people of 
this character should never shake our faith for a moment. 
For one thing, we should remember that there must needs 
be deep and dark things in a religion which comes from 
God, and that a child may put questions which the great- 
est philosopher cannot answer. — For another thing, we 
should remember, that there are countless truths in the 
Bible, which are clear, and unmistakeable. Let us first 
attend them, believe them, and obey them. So doing, 
we need not doubt that many a thing now unintelligible 
to us will yet be made plain. So doing, we may be sure 
that " what we know not now we shall know hereafter." 

Let us observe, in the second place, what a remarkable 
text our Lord brings fomoard, in proof of the reality of a 
life to come. He places before the Sadducees the words 
13 



290 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

which God spake to Moses in the bush : "I am the God 
of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of 
Jacob." (Exod. iii. 6.) He adds the comment, "God is 
not the God of the dead, but of the living." At the time 
when Moses heard these words, Abraham, Isaac, and Ja- 
cob had been dead and buried many years. Two centuries 
had passed away since Jacob, the last of the three, was 
carried to his tomb. And yet God spoke of them as being 
still His people, and of Himself as being still their God. 
He said not, " I ivas their God," but " I am" 

Perhaps we are often tempted to doubt the truth 
of a resurrection, and a life to come. But, unhappily, it 
is easy to hold truths theoretically, and yet not realize 
them practically. There are few of us who would not 
find it good to meditate on the mighty verity which our 
Lord here unfolds, and to give it a prominent place in our 
thoughts. Let us settle it in our minds, that the dead 
are in one sense still alive. From our eyes they have 
passed away, and their place knows them no more. But 
in the eyes of God they live, and will one day come forth 
from their graves to receive an everlasting sentence. 
There is no such thing as annihilation. The idea is a 
miserable delusion. The sun, moon, and stars, — the 
solid mountains, and deep sea, will one day come to 
nothing. But the weakest babe of the poorest man shall 
live for evermore, in another world. May we never 
forget this r Happy is he who can say from his heart 
the words of the Nicene Creed, " I look for the resurrec- 
tion of the dead, and the life of the world to come." 

Let us observe, in the last place, the account ivhich our 
Lord gives of 'the state of 'men and womenafter theresurrec- 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XXII. 291 

Hon. He silences the fancied objections of the Sadducees, 
by showing that they entirely mistook the true character 
of the resurrection state. They took it for granted that 
it must needs be a gross, carnal existence, like that of 
mankind upon earth. Our Lord tells them that in the 
next world we may have a real material body, and yet a 
body of very different constitution, and different necessi- 
ties, from that which we have now. He speaks only of 
the saved, be it remembered. He omits all mention of 
the lost. He says, " In the resurrection they neither 
marry nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels 
of God in heaven." 

We know but little of the life to come in heaven. 
Perhaps our clearest ideas of it are drawn from consider- 
ing what it will not be, rather than what it will be. It 
is a state in which we shall hunger no more, nor thirst 
any more. Sickness, pain, and disease, will not be known. 
Wasting, old age, and death will have no place. Marri- 
ages, births, and a constant succession of inhabitants, 
will be no more needed. They who are once admitted 
into heaven shall dwell there for evermore.— And, to 
pass from negatives to positives, one thing we are told 
plainly — we shall be "as the angels of God." Like them, 
we shall serve God perfectly, unhesitatingly, and un- 
weariedly. Like them, we shall ever be in God's presence. 
Like them, we shall ever delight to do His will. Like 
them, we shall give all glory to the Lamb. These are 
deep things. But they are all true. 

Are we ready for this life ? Should we enjoy it, if 
admitted to take part in it ? Is the company of God, 
and the service of God pleasant to us now ? Is the 



292 



EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 



occupation of angels one in which we should delight ? 
These are solemn questions. Our hearts must be heavenly 
on earth, while we live, if we hope to go to heaven when 
we rise again in another world. (Coloss. iii. 1 — 4.) 



MATTHEW XXII. 34—46. 



34 But when the Pharisees had 
heard that he had put the Sadducees 
to silence, they were gathered to- 
gether. 

35 Then one of them, which was 
a Lawyer, asked him a question, 
tempting him, and saying, 

36 Master, which is the great com- 
mandment in the law ? 

37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt 
love the Lord thy God with all thy 
heart, and with ail thy soul, and with 
all thy mind. 

38 This is the first and great com- 
mandment. 

39 And the second is like unto it, 
Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy- 
self. 

40 On these two commandments 



hang all the law and the Proph- 
ets. 

41 While the Pharisees were gath- 
ered together, Jesus asked them, 

42 Saying, what think ye of Christ ? 
whose son is he ? They say unto him, 
The Son of David. 

43 He saith unto them, How then 
doth David in spirit call him Lord, 
saying, 

44 The Loed said unto my Lord, 
Sit thou on my right hand, till I make 
thine enemies thy footstool ? 

45 Sf David then call him Lord, 
how is he his son ? 

46 And no man was able to answer 
him a word, neither durst any man 
from that day forth ask him any more 
questions. 



In the beginning of this passage we find our Lord 
replying to the question of a certain lawyer, who asked 
him which was " the great commandment of the law ?" 
That question was asked in no friendly spirit. But we 
have reason to be thankful that it was asked at all. It 
drew from our Lord an answer full of precious instruc- 
tion. Thus we see how good may come out of evil. 

Let us mark what an admirable summary these verses 
contain of our duty towards God and our neighbor. Jesus 
says, " Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy 
heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind/' 
He says again, " Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy- 



293 

self." And He adds, " On these two commandments 
hang all the law and the prophets." 

How simple are these two rules, and yet how compre- 
hensive ! How soon the words are repeated, and yet 
how much they contain ! How humbling and condemn- 
ing they are ! How much they prove our daily need of 
mercy and the precious blood of atonement ! Happy 
would it be for the world, if these rules were more known 
and more practised ! 

Love is the grand secret of true obedience to God. 
When we feel towards Him as children feel towards a 
dear father, we shall delight to do His will. We shall 
not find His commandments grievous, and work for Him 
like slaves under fear of the lash. We shall take 
pleasure in trying to keep His laws, and mourn when we 
transgress them. None work so well as they who work 
for love. The fear of punishment, or the desire of 
reward, are principles of far less power. They do the 
will of God best, who do it from the heart. Would we 
train children right ? Let us teach them to love God. 

Love is the grand secret of right behavior towards 
our fellow men. He who loves his neighbor will scorn 
to do him any wilful injury, either in person, property, 
or character. — But he will not rest there. He will 
desire in every way to do him good. He will strive to 
promote his comfort and happiness in every way. He 
will endeavor to lighten his sorrows, and increase his 
joys. When a man loves us, we feel confidence in him. 
We know that he will never intentionally do us harm, 
and that in every time of need he will be our friend. 
Would we teach children to behave aright towards 



294 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

others ? Let us teach them to love everybody as them- 
selves, and do to others as they would have others do to 
them. 

But how shall we obtain this love towards God ? It is 
no natural feeling. We are born in sin, and, as sinners, 
are afraid of God. How then can we love Him ? We 
can never really love Him till we are at peace with Him 
through Christ. When we feel our sins forgiven, and 
ourselves reconciled to our holy Maker, then, and not till 
then, we shall love Him and have the spirit of adoption. 
Faith in Christ is the true spring of love to God. They 
love most who feel most forgiven. " We love him 
because he first loved us/' (1 John iv. 19.) 

And how shall we obtain this love towards our neigh- 
bor ? This is also no natural feeling. We are born 
selfish, hateful, and hating one another. (Titus iii. 3.) 
We shall never love our fellow man aright till our hearts 
are changed by the Holy Ghost. We must be born 
again. We must put off the old man, and put on the 
new, and receive the mind that was in Christ Jesus. 
Then, and not till then, our cold hearts will know true 
God-like love towards all. " The fruit of the Spirit is 
love." (Galat. v. 22.) 

Let these things sink down into our hearts. There is 
much vague talk in these latter days about love and 
charity. Men profess to admire them and desire to see 
them increased, and yet hate the principles which alone 
can produce them. Let us stand fast in the old paths. 
We cannot have fruits and flowers without roots. We 
cannot have love to God and man without faith in Christ, 
and without regeneration. The way to spread true love 



295 

in the world, is to teach the atonement of Christ, and 
the work of the Holy Ghost. 

The concluding portion of the passage, contains a 
question put to the Pharisees by our Lord. After 
answering with perfect wisdom the inquiries of His ad- 
versaries, He at last asks them, " What think ye of 
Christ ? Whose Son is He ?" They reply at once, 
"the son of David." He then asks them to explain, 
why David in the book of Psalms calls Him Lord. 
(Psalm ex. 1.) " If David then calls him Lord, 
how is he his son ?" At once His enemies were put to 
silence. "No man was able to answer him a word." 
The Scribes and Pharisees no doubt were familiar with 
the Psalm He quoted, but they could not explain its 
application. It could only be explained by conceding 
the pre-existence and divinity of the Messiah. This 
the Pharisees would not concede. Their only idea of 
Messiah was, that He was to be a man like one 
of themselves. Their ignorance of the Scriptures, of 
which they pretended to know more than others, and 
their low, carnal view of the true nature of Christ, were 
thus exposed at one and the same time. Well may 
Matthew say, by the Holy Ghost, "From that day forth 
durst no man ask him any more questions \" 

Let us not leave these verses without making a 
practical use of our Lord's solemn question, " What think 
ye of Christ ?" What do we think of His person, and 
His offices ? What do we think of His life, and what of 
His death for us on the cross ? What do we think of His 
resurrection, ascension, and intercession at the right hand 
of God ? Have we tasted that He is gracious ? Have 



296 



EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 



we laid hold on Him by faith ? Have we found by ex- 
perience that He is precious to our souls ? Can we 
truly say He is my Eedeemer, and my Saviour, my 
Shepherd, and my Friend ? 

These are serious inquiries. May we never rest till 
we can give a satisfactory answer to them. It will not 
profit us to read about Christ, if we are not joined to 
Him by living faith. Once more then let us test our 
religion by this question ; " What think we of Christ ?" 



MATTHEW XXIH. 1—12. 



1 Then spake Jesus to the multi- 
tude, and to his disciples, 

2 Saying, the Scribes and the Pha- 
risees sit in Moses' seat ; 

3 All therefore whatsoever they hid 
you observe, that ohserve and do; 
but do not ye after their works : for 
they say, and do not. 

4 For they bind heavy burdens and 
grievous to he borne, and lay them 
on men's shoulders; but they them- 
selves will not move them with one of 
their fingers. 

5 But all their works they do for 
to be seen of men : they make broad 
their phylacteries, and enlarge the 
borders of their garments, 

6 And love the uppermost rooms at 



and the chief seats in the 
synagogues, 

" 7 And greetings in the markets, and 
to be called of men, Kabbi, Rabbi. 

8 But be not ye called Rabbi : for 
one is your Master, even Christ ; and 
all ye are brethren. 

9 And call no man your father 
upon the earth : for one is your Fa- 
ther, which is in heaven. 

10 Neither be ye called masters: 
for one is your Master, even Christ. 

11 But he that is greatest among 
you shall be your servant. 

12 And whosoever shall exalt him- 
self shall be abased ; and he that shall 
humble himself shall be exalted. 



We are now beginning a chapter which in one respect is 
the most remarkable in the four G-ospels. It contains 
the last words which the Lord Jesus ever spoke within 
the walls of the temple. Those last words consist of a 
withering exposure of the Scribes and Pharisees, and a 
sharp rebuke of their doctrines and practices. Knowing 
full well that His time on earth was drawing to a close, 
our Lord no longer keeps back his opinion of the leading 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XXIII. 297 

teachers of the Jews. Knowing that He would soon 
leave His followers alone, like sheep among wolves, 
He warns them plainly against the false shepherds, by 
whom they were surrounded. 

The whole chapter is a signal example of boldness 
and faithfulness in denouncing error. It is a striking 
proof that it is possible for the most loving heart to use 
the language of stern reproof. Above all it is an awful 
evidence of the guilt of unfaithful teachers. So long 
as the world stands, this chapter ought to be a warning 
and a beacon to all ministers of religion. No sins are 
so sinful as theirs in the sight of Christ. 

In the twelve verses which begin the chapter, we see 
firstly, the duty of distinguishing between the office of a 
false teacher and his example. u The Scribes and Phari- 
sees sat in Moses' seat." Kightly or wrongly, they oc- 
cupied the position of the chief public teachers of religion 
among the Jews. However unworthily they filled the 
place of authority, their office entitled them to respect. 
But while their office was respected, their bad lives were 
not to be copied. And although their teaching was to 
be adhered to, so long as it was Scriptural, it was not to 
be observed when it contradicted the Word of God. To 
use the words of Brentius, :i They were to be heard when 
they taught what Moses taught," but no longer. That 
such was our Lord's meaning is evident from the whole 
tenor of the chapter we are reading. False doctrine is 
there denounced as well as false practice. 

The duty here placed before us is one of great im- 
portance. There is a constant tendency in the human 
mind to run into extremes. If we do not regard the 
13* 



298 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

office of the minister with idolatrous veneration, we are 
apt to treat it with indecent contempt. Against both 
these extremes we have need to be on our guard. How- 
ever much we may disapprove of a minister's practice, 
or dissent from his teaching, we must never forget to 
respect his office. — We must show that we can honor 
the commission, whatever we may think of the officer 
that holds it. The example of St. Paul on a certain 
occasion is worthy of notice, "I wist not, bretheren, that 
he was the high priest : for it is written, thou shalt 
not speak evil of the ruler of thy people." (Acts 
xxiii. 5.) 

We see secondly, in these verses, that inconsistency, 
ostentation, and love of pre-eminence, among professors 
of religion, are specially displeasing to Christ. As to in- 
consistency it is remarkable that the very first thing our 
Lord says of the Pharisees is, that "they say, and do 
not." They required from others what they did not 
practice themselves. — As to ostentation, our Lord declares 
that they did all their works " to be seen of men." They 
had their phylacteries, or strips of parchment, with texts 
written on them, which many Jews wore on their clothes, 
made of an excessive size. They had the " borders," or 
fringes of their garments, which Moses bade Israelites to 
wear as a remembrance of God, made of an extravagant 
width. (Num. xv. 38.) And all this was done to attract no- 
tice, and to make people think how holy they were. As to 
love of pre-eminence, our Lord tells us that the Pharisees 
loved to have " the chief seats" given them in public places, 
and to have flattering titles addressed to them. All these 
things our Lord holds up to reprobation. Against all He 



299 

would have us watch and pray. Theyare soul-ruining sins. 
"How can ye believe which receive honor one of another." 
(John v. 44.) Happy would it have been for the Church 
of Christ, if this passage had been more deeply pon- 
dered, and the spirit of it more implicitly obeyed. The 
Pharisees are not the only people who have imposed 
austerities on others, and affected a sanctity of apparel, 
and loved the praise of man. The annals of Church 
history show that only too many Christians have walked 
closely in their steps. May we remember this and be 
wise ! It is perfectly possible for a baptised Englishman 
to be in spirit a thorough Pharisee. 

We see in the third place, from these verses, that 
Christians must never give to any man the titles and 
honors which are due to God alone and to His Christ. 
We are to " call no man Father on earth." 

The rule here laid down must be interpreted with 
proper Scriptural qualification. We are not forbidden to 
esteem ministers very highly in love for their work's sake. 
(1 Thess. v. 13.) Even St. Paul, one of the humblest 
saints, called Titus "his own son in the faith," and says to 
the Corinthians, " I have begotten you through the gos- 
pel." (1 Cor. iv. 15.) But still we must be very careful 
that we do not insensibly give to ministers a place and 
an honor which do not belong to them. We must 
never allow them to come between ourselves and Christ. 
The very best are not infallible. They are not priests 
who can atone for us. They are not mediators who can 
undertake to manage our soul's affairs with God. They 
are men of like passions with ourselves, needing the 
same cleansing blood, and the same renewing Spirit, 



300 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

set apart to a high and holy calling, but still after all 
only men. Let us never forget these things. Such 
cautions are always useful. Human nature would always 
rather lean on a visible minister, than an invisible Christ. 
We see in the last place, that there is no grace which 
should distinguish the Christian si much as humility. He 
that would be great in the eyes of Christ, must aim at a 
totally different mark from that of the Pharisees. His 
aim must be, not so much to rule as to serve the Church. 
Well says Baxter, " church greatness consisteth in being 
greatly serviceable." The desire of the Pharisee was 
to receive honor, and to be called " master/' The 
desire of the Christian must be to do good, and to 
give himself, and all that he has to the service of 
others. Truly this is a high standard, but a lower one 
must never content us. The example of our blessed 
Lord, the direct command of the apostolic Epistles, both 
alike require us to be "clothed with humility." (1 
Peter v, 5.) Let us seek that blessed grace day by day. 
None is so beautiful, however much despised by the 
world. None is such an evidence of saving faith, and 
true conversion to God. None is so often commended 
by our Lord. Of all His sayings, hardly any is so often 
repeated as that which concludes the passage we have 
now read, " He that shall humble himself shall be ex- 
alted." 



MATTHEW XXIII. 13—33. 



13 But woe unto you, Scribes and 
Pharisees, hypocrites ! for ye shut up 
the kingdom of heaven against men : 



for ye neither go in yourselves, nei- 
ther suffer ye them that are entering 
to go in. 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XXIII. 



301 



14 Woe unto you, Scribes and 
Pharisees, hypocrites ! for ye devour 
widows' houses, and for a pretence 
make long prayer : therefore ye shall 
receive the greater damnation. 

15 Woe unto you, Scribes and 
Pharisees, hypocrites ! for ye compass 
sea and land to make one proselyte, 
and when he is made, ye make him 
twofold more the child of hell than 
yourselves. 

16 Woe unto you, ye blind guides, 
which say, Whosoever shall swear by 
the temple, it is nothing ; but whoso- 
ever shall swear by the gold of the 
temple, he is a debtor ! 

17 Te fools and blind ! for whether 
is greater, the gold, or the temple 
that sanctifieth the gold ? 

18 And, whosoever shall swear by 
the altar, it is nothing; but whoso- 
ever sweareth by the gift that is upon 
it he is guilty. 

19 Ye fools and blind : for whether 
is greater, the gift, or the altar that 
sanctifieth the gift ? 

20 Whoso therefore shall swear by 
the altar, sweareth by it, and by all 
things thereon. 

21 And whoso shall swear by the 
temple, sweareth by it, and by him 
that dwelleth therein. 

22 And he that shall swear by 
heaven, sweareth by the tin-one of 
God, and by him that sitteth there- 
on. 

23 Woe unto you, Scribes and 
Pharisees, hypocrites ! for ye pay 
tithe of mint and anise and cummin, 
and have omitted the weightier mat- 



ters of the law, judgment, mercy, and 
faith : these ought ye to have done, 
and not to leave the other undone. 

24 Ye blind guides which strain 
at a gnat, and swallow a camel. 

25 Woe unto you, Scribes and 
Pharisees, hypocrites ! for ye make 
clean the outside of the cup and of 
the platter, but within they are full 
of extortion and excess. 

26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse 
first that which is within the cup and 
platter, that the outside of them may 
be clean also. 

27 Woe unto you, Scribes and 
Pharisees, hypocrites ! for ye are like 
unto whited sepulchres, which indeed 
appear beautiful outward, but are 
within full of dead men's bones, and 
of all uncleanness. 

28 Even so ye also outwardly ap- 
pear righteous unto men, but within 
ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. 

29 Woe unto you, Scribes and 
Pharisees, hypocrites ! because ye 
build the tombs of the prophets, and 
garnish the sepulchres of the right- 
eous, 

30 And say, If we had been in the 
days of our fathers, we would not 
have been partakers with them in the 
blood of the prophets. 

31 Wherefore ye be witnesses unto 
yourselves, that ye are the children 
of them which killed the prophets. 

32 Eill ye up then the measure of 
your fathers. 

33 Ye serpents, ye generation of 
vipers, how can ye escape the dam- 
nation of hell? 



"We have in these verses the charges of our Lord against 
the Jewish teachers ranged under eight heads. Standing 
in the midst of the temple, with a listening crowd around 
Him, He publicly denounces the main errors of the 
Scribes and Pharisees in unsparing terms. Eight times 
He uses the solemn expression, " woe unto you." Seven 
times He calls them " hypocrites." Twice He speaks of 
them as blind guides — twice as " fools and blind" — once 
as " serpents and a generation of vipers." Let us mark 



502 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

that language well. It teaches a solemn lesson. It 
shows how utterly abominahle the spirit of the Scribes 
and Pharisees is in God's sight, in whatever form it may 
be found. 

Let us glance shortly at the eight charges which our 
Lord brings forward, and then seek to draw from the 
whole passage some general instruction. 

The first "woe" in the list is directed against the 
systematic opposition of the Scribes and Pharisees to the 
progress of the Gospel. They " shut up the kingdom of 
heaven." They would neither go in themselves, nor suffer 
others to go in. They rejected the warning voice of John 
the Baptist. They refused to acknowledge Jesus, when 
He appeared among them, as the Messiah. They tried 
to keep back Jewish inquirers. They would not believe 
the Gospel themselves, and they did all in their power 
to prevent others believing it. This was a great sin. 

The second " woe" in the list is directed against the 
covetousness and self-aggrandizing spirit of the Scribes 
and Pharisees. They " devoured widows' houses, and 
for a pretence made long prayer." They imposed on the 
credulity of weak and unprotected women, by an affecta- 
tion of great devoutness, until they were regarded as 
their spiritual directors. They scrupled not to abuse the 
influence thus unrighteously obtained, to their own 
temporal advantage, and in a word to make money by 
their religion. This again was a great sin. 

The third "woe" in the list is directed against the 
^eal of the Scribes and Pharisees for making partisans. 
They " compassed sea and land to make one proselyte." 
They labored incessantly to make men join their party 



303 

and adopt their opinions. They did this from no desire 
to benefit men's souls in the least, or to bring them to 
God. They only did it to swell the ranks of their sect, 
and to increase the number of their adherents, and their 
own importance. Their religious zeal arose from sec- 
tarianism, and not from the love of God. This also was 
a great sin. 

The fourth " woe" in the list is directed against the 
doctrines of the Scribes and Pharisees about oaths. 
They drew subtle distinctions between one kind of oath 
and another. They taught the Jesuitical tenet, that 
some oaths were binding on men, while others were not. 
They attached greater importance to oaths sworn " by 
the gold" offered to the temple, than to oaths sworn 
" by the temple" itself. By so doing they brought the 
third commandment into contempt— and by making men 
overrate the value of alms and oblations, advanced their 
own interests. This again was a great sin.* 

The fifth " woe" in the list is directed against the 
practice of the Scribes and Pharisees, to exalt trifles in 
religion above serious things, to put the last things first, 
and the first last. They made great ado about tithing 
" mint," and other garden herbs, as if they could not be 
too strict in their obedience to God's law. And yet at 
the same time they neglected great plain duties, such as 
justice, charity, and honesty. This again was a great sin. 

* This practice of tampering with oaths, was well known among 
the heathen, as a feature in the Jewish character. It is a striking 
fact, that Martial, the Roman poet, specially refers to it : 

" Ecce negas, jurasque mihi per templa Tonantis ; 

Non credo : Jura, verpe, per Anchialum." — Martial, ix. 94. 



304 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

The sixth and seventh " woes" in the list possess too 
much in common to be divided. They are directed 
against a general characteristic of the religion of the 
Scribes. They set outward purity and decency above in- 
ward sanctincation and purity of heart. They made it a 
religious duty to cleanse the " outside" of their cups and 
platters, but neglected their own inward man. They 
were like whitened sepulchres, clean and beautiful ex- 
ternally, but within full of all corruption. " Even so 
they outwardly appeared righteous, but within were full 
of hypocrisy and iniquity." This also was a great sin. 

The last "woe" in the list is directed against the 
affected veneration of the Scribes and Pharisees for the 
memory of dead saints. They built the " tombs of the 
prophets," and garnished " the sepulchres of the right- 
eous." And yet their own lives proved that they were 
of one mind with those who " killed the prophets." 
Their own conduct was a daily evidence that they liked 
dead saints better than living ones. The very men that 
pretended to honor dead prophets, could see no beauty 
in a living Christ. This also was a great sin.* 

Such is the melancholy picture which our Lord gives 

* A passage from the Berlenberger Bible on this subject is suffi- 
ciently striking to deserve insertion. 

" Ask in Moses's times, who were the good people, they will be 
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but not Moses — he should be stoned. 
Ask in Samuel's times, who were the good people, they will be 
Moses and Joshua, but not Samuel. Ask in the times of Christ, 
who were such, they will be all the former prophets with Samuel, but 
not Christ and His apostles." 

The Latin proverbs " mortui non mordent," and " sit divus, dum- 
modo non vivus," are both illustrative of the same truth. 



xxiii. 305 

of Jewish teachers. Let us turn from the contemplation 
of it with sorrow and humiliation. It is a fearful exhi- 
bition of the morbid anatomy of human nature. It is a 
picture which unhappily has been reproduced over and 
over again in the history of the Church of Christ. There 
is not a point in the character of the Scribes and Phari- 
sees in which it might not be easily shown, that persons 
calling themselves Christians have often walked in their 
steps.-*' 

Let us learn from the whole passage how deplorable 
was the condition of the Jewish nation when our Lord 
was upon earth. When such were the teachers, what 
must have been the miserable darkness of the taught ! 
Truly the iniquity of Israel had come to the full. It 
was high time indeed for the Sun of Kighteousness to 
arise and the Gospel to be preached. 

Let us learn from the whole passage how abominable 
is hypocrisy in the sight of God. These Scribes and 
Pharisees are not charged with being thieves or murder- 
ers, but with being hypocrites to the very core. What- 
ever we are in our religion, let us resolve never to wear 
a cloak. Let us by all means be honest and real. 

Let us learn from the whole passage how awfully 
dangerous is the position of an unfaithful minister. It is 
bad enough to be blind ourselves. It is a thousand times 

* I cannot avoid the opportunity of here expressing my firm con- 
viction, that our Lord's sayings in this chapter are meant to bear a 
prophetical signification, and to apply to corruptions which He fore- 
saw would spring up in His professing Church. Beyond doubt there 
is a most unhappy similarity between the doctrines and practices of 
the Scribes and Pharisees, and many of the leading corruptions of the 
Church of Rome. 



306 



EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 



worse to be a blind guide. Of all men none is so 
culpably wicked as an unconverted minister, ancl none 
will be judged so severely. It is a solemn saying about 
such an one, " He resembles an unskilful pilot : be does 
not perish alone." 

Finally, let us beware of supposing from this passage, 
that the safest course in religion is to make no profession 
at all. This is to run into a dangerous extreme. It 
does not follow that there is no such thing as true pro- 
fession, because some men are hypocrites. It does not 
follow that all money is bad, because there is much 
counterfeit coin. Let not hypocrisy prevent our con- 
fessing Christ, or move from us our steadfastness, if we 
have confessed Him. Let us press on, looking unto 
Jesus, and resting on Him, praying daily to be kept from 
error, and saying with David, " let my heart be sound in 
thy statutes." (Psalm cxix. 80.) 



MATTHEW XXIII. 34—39. 



84 Wherefore, behold, I send unto 
you prophets, and wise men, and 
Scribes : and some of them ye shall 
kill and crucify ; and some of them 
shall ye scourge in your synagogues, 
and persecute them from city to city : 

35 That upon you may 'come all 
the righteous blood shed upon the 
earth, from the blood of righteous 
Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son 
of Barachias, whom ye slew between 
the temple and the altar. 

36 Verily I say unto you, All these 
things shall come upon this generation. 



37 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou 
that killest the prophets, and stonest 
them which are sent unto thee, how 
often would I have gathered thy chil- 
dren together, even as a hen gathereth 
her chickens under her wings, and ye 
would not ! 

38 Behold, your house is left unto 
you desolate. 

39 For I say unto you, Ye shall 
not see me henceforth, till ye shall 
say, Blessed is he that cometh in the 
name of the Lord. 



These verses form the conclusion of our Lord Jesus 
Christ's address, on the subject of the Scribes and Phari- 
sees. They are the last words which He ever spoke, as 



307 

a public teacher, in the hearing of the people. The 
characteristic tenderness and compassion of our Lord, 
shine forth in a striking manner at the close of His 
ministry. Though He left His enemies in unbelief, He 
shows that He loved and pitied them to the last. 

We learn, in the first place, from these verses, that Goal 
often takes great pains with ungodly men. He sent the 
Jews "prophets and wise men and scribes." He gave 
them repeated warnings. He sent them message after 
message. He did not allow them to go on sinning with- 
out rebuke. They could never say that they were not 
told when they did wrong. 

This is the way in which God generally deals with 
unconverted Christians. He does not cut them off in 
their sins without a call to repentance. He knocks at 
the door of their hearts by sicknesses and afflictions. He 
assails their consciences by sermons, or by the advice of 
friends. He summons them to consider their ways by 
opening the grave under their eyes, and taking away 
from them their idols. They often know not what it all 
means. They are often blind and deaf to all His gracious 
messages. But they will see His hand at last, though 
perhaps too late. They will find that " God spake once, 
yea twice, but they perceived it not." (Job xxxiii. 14.) 
They will discover that they too, like the Jews, had 
prophets, and wise men, and Scribes sent to them. 
There was a voice in every providence, " Turn ye, turn 
ye, why will ye die ?" (Ezek. xxxiii. 11.) 

We learn, in the second place, from these verses, that 
God taJeesnotice of the treatment whichHis messengers and 
ministers receive, and will one day reckon for it. The 



308 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

Jews, as a nation, had often given the servants of God 
most shameful usage. They had often dealt with them 
as enemies, because they told them the truth. Some 
they had persecuted, and some they had scourged, i nd 
some they had even killed. They thought perhaps that 
no account would be required of their conduct. But 
our Lord tells them they were mistaken. There was 
an eye that saw all their doings. There was a hand 
that registered all the innocent blood they shed, in books 
of everlasting remembrance. The dying words of Zach- 
arias, who was "slain between the temple and the altar," 
would be found after eight hundred and fifty years, 
not to have fallen to the ground. — He said, as he died, 
" the Lord look upon it and require it." (2 Chron. 
xxiv. 22.)* Yet a few years, and there would be such 
an inquisition for blood at Jerusalem as the world had 
never seen. The holy city would be destroyed. The 
nation which had murdered so many prophets would 
itself be wasted by famine, pestilence, and the sword. 
And even those that escaped would "be scattered to 
the four winds, and become, like Cain the murderer, 
" fugitives and vagabonds upon earth." We all know 
how literally these sayings were fulfilled. Well might 

* It is remarkable that the Zacharias here spoken of is described in 
Chronicles as the son of Jehoida. Our Lord speaks of him as the son of 
Barachias. This discrepancy has led some to suppose that the Zacha- 
rias here spoken of could not be the one who was murdered in the days 
of Joash, but an entirely different person. But there seems no suffi- 
cient reason for this supposition. By far the most satisfactory explana- 
tion appears to be, that the father of Zacharias had two names, Jehoi- 
ada and Barachias. It was not at all uncommon among the Jews to 
have two names. Matthew was also called Levi, and Jude Thaddeus. 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XXIII. 309 

our Lord say, " Verily all these things shall come upon 
this generation." 

It is good for us all to mark this lesson well. We 
are too apt to think that u bygones are bygones," and 
that things which to us are past, and done, and old, 
will never be raked up again. But we forget that with 
God "one day is as a thousand years" and that the events 
of a thousand years ago are as fresh in His sight, as 
the events of this very hour. God " requireth that which 
is past," and above all, God will require an account of the 
treatment of His saints. The blood of the primitive 
Christians shed by the Eoman Emperors, — the blood of 
the Vallenses and Albigenses, and the sufferers at the 
massacre of St. Bartholomew, — the blood of the martyrs 
who were burned at the time of the Reformation, and 
of those who have been put to death by the Inquisition — ■ 
all, all will yet be accounted for. It is an old saying, 
that " the mill-stones of God's justice grind slowly, but 
they grind very fine." The world will yet see that " there 
is a God that judgeth in the earth." (Psalm lviii. 11.) 

Let those who persecute God's people in the present 
day take heed what they are doing. Let them know 
that all who injure, or ridicule, or mock, or slander 
others on account of their religion, commit a great sin. 
Let them know that Christ takes notice of every one 
who persecutes his neighbor because he is better than 
himself, or because he prays, reads his Bible, and thinks 
about his soul. He lives who said, " he that toucheth 
you, toucheth the apple of mine eye." (Zech. ii. 8.) The 
judgment day will prove that the King of kings will 
reckon with all who insult His servants. 



310 EXPOSITOKY THOUGHTS. 

We learn, in the last place, from these verses, that those 
who are lost for ever, are lost through their own fault. 

The words of our Lord Jesus Christ are very remark- 
able. He says, " I would have gathered thy children 
together, — and ye would not." 

There is something peculiarly deserving of notice in 
this expression. It throws light on a mysterious subject, 
and one which is often darkened by human explanations. 
It shows that Christ has feelings of pity and mercy for 
many who are not saved, and that the grand secret of 
man's ruin is his want of will. Impotent as man is 
by nature, — unable to think a good thought of himself, — 
without power to turn himself to faith and calling upon 
God, — he still appears to have a mighty ability to ruin 
his own soul. Powerless as he is to good, he is still 
powerful to evil. We say rightly that a man can do noth- 
ing of himself, but we must always remember that the 
seat of impotence is his will. A will to repent and be- 
lieve no man can give himself, but a will to reject Christ 
and have his own way, every man possesses by nature, 
and if not saved at last, that will shall prove to have 
been his destruction. " Ye will not come to me," says 
Christ, " that ye might have life." (John v. 40.) 

Let us leave the subject with the comfortable reflec- 
tion, that with. Christ nothing is impossible. The hardest 
heart can be made willing in the day of His power. 
Grace beyond doubt is irresistible. But never let us for- 
get, that the Bible speaks of man as a responsible being, 
and that it says of some, " ye do always resist the Holy 
Ghost." (Acts vii. 51.) Let us understand that the ruin 
of those who are lost, is not because Christ was not willing 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XXIV. 



311 



to save thern — nor yet because they wanted to be saved, 
but could not — but because they would not come to Christ. 
Let the ground we take up be always that of the passage 
we are now considering — Christ would gather men, but 
they will not to be gathered ; Christ would save men, but 
they will not to be saved. Let it be a settled principle 
in our religion, that men's salvation, if saved, is wholly 
of God ; and that man's ruin, if lost, is wholly of himself. 
The evil that is in us is all our own. The good, if we 
have any, is all of God. The saved in the next world 
will give God all the glory. The lost in the next world 
will find that they have destroyed themselves. (Hosea 
xiii. 9.) 



MATTHEW XXIV. 1—14. 



1 And Jesus went out, and departed 
from the temple: and his disciples 
came to him for to shew him the 
buildings of the temple. 

2 And Jesus said unto them, See 
ye not all these things ? verily I say 
unto you, There shall not he left here 
one stone upon another, that shall 
not be thrown down. 

3 And as he sat upon the mount of 
Olives, the disciples came unto him 
privately, saying, Tell us, when shall 
these things be, and what shall he the 
sign of thy coming, and of the end of 
the world ? 

4 And Jesus answered and said unto 
them, Take heed that no man deceive 
you. 

5 For many shall come in my name, 
saying, I am Christ ; and shall deceive 
many. 

6 And ye shall hear of wars and 
rumors of wars : see that ye be not 
troubled : for all these things must 
come to pass, but the end is not yet. 



7 For nation shall rise against na- 
tion, and kingdom against kingdom : 
and there shall be famines, and pesti- 
lences, and earthquakes, in divers 
places. 

8 All these are the beginning of 
sorrows. 

9 Then shall they deliver you up 
to be afflicted, and shall kill you : and 
ye shall be hated of all nations for my 
name's sake. 

10 And then shall many be offended, 
and shall betray one another, and 
shall hate one another. 

m 11 And many false prophets shall 
rise, and shall deceive many. 

12 And because iniquity shall a- 
bound, the love of many shall wax 
cold. 

13 But he that shall endure unto 
the end, the same shall be saved. 

14 And this Gospel of the kingdom 
shall be preached m all the world for 
a witness unto all nations ; and then 
shall the end come. 



These verses begin a chapter full of prophecy — prophecy 



312 EXPOSITOKY THOUGHTS. 

of which a large portion is unfulfilled — prophecy which 
ought to be deeply interesting to all true Christians. It 
is a subject to which the Holy Ghost says, we "do well 
to take heed." (2 Peter i.) 

All portions of Scripture like this, ought to be ap- 
proached with deep humility, and earnest prayer for the 
teaching of the Spirit. On no point have good men so 
entirely disagreed as on the interpretation of prophecy. 
On no point have the prejudices of one class, the dogma- 
tism of a second, and the extravagance of a third, done so 
much to rob the church of truths, which G-od intended to 
be a blessing. Well says Olshausen, " What does not 
man see, or fail to see, when it serves to establish his 
own favorite opinions ?' w 

To understand the drift of the whole chapter, we must 
carefully keep in view the question which gave rise to 
our Lord's discourse. On leaving the temple for the last 
time, the disciples, with the natural feeling of Jews, 
had called their Master's attention to the splendid build- 
ings of which it was composed. To their surprise and 
amazement, He tells them that the whole was about to 
be destroyed. These words appear to have sunk deeply 
into the minds of the disciples. They came to Him, as 
He sat upon the Mount of Olives, and asked Him with 
evident anxiety, " Tell us when shall these things be ? 
and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the 
end of the world ? r — In these words we see the clue 
to the subject of the prophecy now before us. It em- 
braces three points — one, the destruction of Jerusalem; 
— another, the second personal advent of Christ ; — and a 
third, the end of the world. These three points are un- 



313 

doubtedly in some parts of the chapter so entwined 
together, that it is difficult to separate and disentangle 
them. But all these points appear distinctly in the 
chapter, and without them it cannot be fairly explained. 

The first fourteen verses of the prophecy are taken 
up with general lessons of wide range and application. 
They seem to apply with equal force to the close of 
both Jewish and Christian dispensations, the one event 
being strikingly typical of the other. They certainly 
demand special notice from us, on whom the latter ends 
of the world are come. Let us now see what those 
lessons are. 

The first general lesson before us, is a warning against 
deception. The very first words of the discourse are, 
" Take heed that no man deceive you." 

A more needful warning than this cannot be conceived. 
Satan knows well the value of prophecy, and has ever 
labored to bring the subject into contempt. How many 
false Christs and false prophets arose before the de- 
struction of Jerusalem, the works of Josephus abundantly 
prove. In how many ways the eyes of man are con- 
tinually blinded in the present day, as to things to 
come, it might easily be shown. Irvingism and Mormon- 
ism have been only too successfully used as arguments 
for rejecting the whole doctrine of the second advent of 
Christ. Let us watch, and be on our guard. 

Let no man deceive us as to the leading facts of unful- 
filled prophecy, by telling us they are impossible, — or as 
to the manner in which they will be brought to pass, by 
telling us it is improbable and contrary to past experi- 
ence. Let no man deceive us as to the time when 

14 



314 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

unfulfilled prophecies will be accomplished, either by 
fixing dates on the one hand, or bidding us wait for the 
conversion of the world on the other. — On all these 
points let the plain meaning of Scripture be our only 
guide, and not the traditional interpretations of men. 
Let us not be ashamed to say that we expect a literal 
fulfilment of unfulfilled prophecy. Let us frankly allow 
that there are many things we do not understand, but 
still hold our ground tenaciously, — believe much, — wait 
long, — and not doubt that all will one day be made clear. 
Above all, let us remember that the first coming of 
Messiah to suffer, was the most improbable event that 
could have been conceived, and let us not doubt that 
as He literally came in person to suffer, so He will 
literally come again in person to reign. 

The second grand lesson before us, is a ivarning 
against over-sanguine and extravagant expectations as 
to things which are to happen before the end comes. It 
is a warning as deeply important as the preceding one. 
Happy would it have been for the Church, if it had not 
been so much neglected. 

We are not to expect a reign of universal peace, 
happiness, and prosperity, before the end comes. If we 
do, we shall be greatly deceived. Our Lord bids us look 
for " wars, famines, pestilence/' and persecution. It is 
vain to expect peace until the Prince of Peace returns. 
Then, and not till then, the swords shall be beaten into 
ploughshares, and nations learn war no more. Then, 
and not till then, the earth shall bring forth her increase. 
(Isai. ii. 4. Psal. lxviii. 6.) 

We are not to expect a time of universal purity of 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XXIV. 315 

doctrine and practice in the Church of Christ, before the 
end comes. If we do, we shall be greatly mistaken. 
Our Lord bids us look for the rising of " false prophets/' 
the "abounding of iniquity," and the " waxing cold of the 
love of many/' The truth will never be received by all 
professing Christians, and holiness be the rule among 
men, until the great Head of the Church returns, and 
Satan is bound. Then, and not till then, there will be a 
glorious Church, without spot or blemish. (Ephes. v. 27.) 

We are not to expect that all the world will be con- 
verted before the end comes. If we do, we shall be 
greatly mistaken. " The G-ospel is to be preached in all 
the world for a witness unto all nations," but we must 
not think that we shall see it universally believed. It 
will "take out a people," wherever it is faithfully 
preached, as witnesses to Christ, but the full gathering 
of the nations shall never take place until Christ comes. 
Then, and not till then, shall the earth be full of the 
knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. 
(Acts xv. 14 ; Habak. ii. 14.) 

Let us lay these things to heart, and remember them 
well. They are eminently truths for the present times. 
Let us learn to be moderate in our expectations from any 
existing machinery in the Church of Christ, and we shall 
be spared much disappointment. Let us make haste to 
spread the Gospel in the world, for the time is short, not 
long. — The night cometh when no man can work. 
Troublous times are ahead. Heresies and persecutions 
may soon weaken and distract the churches. A fierce 
war of principles may soon convulse the nations. The 
doors now open to do good may soon be shut for ever. 



316 



EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 



Our eyes may yet see the sun of Christianity go down 
like the sun of Judaism, in clouds and storms. Above 
svll, let us long for our Lord's return. Oh ! for a heart 
o pray daily, " Come, Lord Jesus \" 



MATTHEW XXIV. 15—28. 



15 When ye therefore shall see the 
abomination of desolation, spoken of 
by Daniel the prophet, stand in the 
holy place, (whoso readeth, let him 
understand :) 

16 Then let them which be in 
Judaea flee into the mountains: 

17 Let him which is on the house- 
top not come down to take any thing 
out of his house. 

18 Neither let him which is in the 
field return back to take his clothes. 

19 And woe unto them that are 
with child, and to them that give 
such in those days ! 

20 But pray ye that your flight be 
not in the winter, neither on the 
sabbath day ; 

21 For then shall be great tribula- 
tion, such as was not since the begin- 
ning of the world to this time, no, nor 
ever shall be. 

22 And except those days should 



be shortened, there should no flesh be 
saved : but for the elect's sake those 
days shall be shortened. 

23 Then if any man shall say unto 
you, Lo, here is Christ, or there ; be- 
lieve it not. 

24 For there shall arise false Christs, 
and false prophets, and shall shew 
great signs and wonders ; insomuch 
that, if it were possible, they shall de- 
ceive the very elect. 

25 Behold, I have told you before. 

26 Wherefore if they shall say unto 
you, Behold, he is in the desert; go 
not forth ; behold, lie is in the secret 
chambers ; believe it not. 

27 For as the lightning cometh out 
of the east, and shinetheven unto the 
west ; so shall also the coming of the 
Son of man be. 

28 For wheresoever the carcase is, 
there will the eagles be gathered to- 
gether. 



One main subject of this part of our Lord's prophecy, 
is the taking of Jerusalem by the Komans. That great 
event took place about forty years after the words we 
have now read were spoken. A full account of it is to 
be found in the writings of the historian Josephus. Those 
writings are the best comment on our Lord's words. 
They are a striking proof of the accuracy of every tittle 
of His predictions.* The horrors and miseries which 

* These are the words of Josephus. They are the more remark- 
able when we remember that he was not a Christian. " No other 
city ever suffered such things. All the calamities which have ever 



317 

the Jews endured throughout the siege of their city exceed 
anything on record. It was truly a time of "tribulation, 
such as was not since the beginning of the world." 

It surprises some to find so much importance attached 
to the taking of Jerusalem. They would rather regard 
the whole chapter as unfulfilled. Such persons forget 
that Jerusalem and the temple were the heart of the 
old Jewish dispensation. "When they were destroyed, 
the old Mosaic system came to an end. The daily 
sacrifice, the yearly feasts, the altar, the holy of holies, 
the priesthood, were all essential parts of revealed reli- 
gion, till Christ came, but no longer. When He died 
upon the cross, their work was done. They were dead, 
and it only remained that they should be buried. — But 
it was not fitting that this thing should be done 
quietly. The ending of a dispensation given with so 
much solemnity at Mount Sinai, might well be expected 
to be marked with peculiar solemnity. The destruction 
of the holy temple, where so many old saints had 
seen " shadows of good things to come," might well be 
expected to form a subject of prophecy. And so it was. 
The Lord Jesus specially predicts the desolation of "the 
holy place." The great High Priest describes the end 
of the dispensation which had been a schoolmaster to 
bring men to Himself. 

But we must not suppose that this part of our Lord's 
prophecy is exhausted by the first taking of Jerusalem. 
It is more than probable that our Lord's words have a 
further and deeper application still. It is more than 

happened to any from the beginning, seem not comparable to those 
which befel the Jews." 



318 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

probable that they apply to a second siege of Jerusalem, 
which is yet to take place, when Israel has returned to 
their own land — and to a second tribulation on the inha- 
bitants thereof, which shall only be stopped by the advent 
of our Lord Jesus Christ. Such a view of this passage 
may sound startling to sonie.* But those who doubt its 
correctness would do well to study the last chapter of 
the prophet Zechariah, and the last chapter of Daniel. 
These two chapters contain solemn things. They throw 
great light on the verses we are now reading, and their 
connection with the verses which immediately follow. 

It now remains for us to consider the lessons which 
this passage contains for our own personal edification. 
These lessons are plain and unmistakeable. In them at 
least there is no darkness at all. 

For one thing, we see that flight from danger may 
sometimes be the positive duty of a Christian. Our Lord 
Himself commanded his people under certain circum- 
stances " to flee." 

The servant of Christ undoubtedly is not to be a coward. 
He is to confess his master before men. He is to be 
willing to die, if needful, for the truth. But the servant 
of Christ is not required to run into danger, unless it 
comes in the line of duty. He is not to be ashamed to 

* I think it well to say, that Irenseus, and Hilary among the 
fathers, and Ferus in the sixteenth century, all refer the fulfilment of 
this part of our Lord's prophecy to the end of the world, when a 
personal Antichrist shall appear. Hilary considers that the verse 
which speaks of " the abomination of desolation standing in the holy 
place," will be fulfilled by the rise of a mighty personal Antichrist, 
who shall be worshipped by infidels. In connection with this verse, 
2 Thess. ii. 4, deserves attentive studv. 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XXIV. 319 

use reasonable means to provide for his personal safety, 
when no good is to be done by dying at his post. There 
is deep wisdom in this lesson. The true martyrs are 
not always those who court death, and are in a hurry 
to be beheaded or burned. There are times when it 
shows more grace to be quiet, and wait, and pray, and 
watch for opportunities, than to defy our adversaries, and 
rush into the battle. May we have wisdom to know 
how to act in time of persecution ! It is possible to be 
rash, as well as to be a coward — and to stop our own 
usefulness by being over hot, as well as by being over 
cold. 

We see, for another thing, that in delivering this pro- 
phecy, our Lord mokes special mention of the Sabbath. 
" Pray ye," he says, " that your flight be not on the 
Sabbath day." 

This is a fact that deserves special notice. We live in 
times when the obligation of the Sabbath upon Christians 
is frequently denied by good men. They tell us that it 
is no more binding on us than the ceremonial law. It is 
difficult to see how such a view can be reconciled with 
our Lord's words on this solemn occasion. He seems 
intentionally to mention the Sabbath, when He is fore- 
telling the final destruction of the temple and the Mosaic 
ceremonies, as if to mark the day with honor. He 
seems to hint that, although His people would be ab- 
solved from the yoke of sacrifices and ordinances, there 
would yet remain the keeping of a sabbath for them. 
(Heb. iv. 9.) The friends of a holy Sunday ought 
carefully to remember this text. It is one which will 
bear much weight. 



320 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

We see for another thing, that God's elect are ahvays 
special objects of God's care. Twice in this passage oar 
Lord mentions them. " For the elect's sake the days of 
tribulation are to be shortened." It will not be possible 
to deceive the " elect." 

Those whom God has chosen to salvation by Christ, 
are those whom God specially loves in this world. They 
are the jewels among mankind. He cares more for them 
than for kings on their thrones, if kings are not converted, 
He hears their prayers. He orders all the events of 
nations and the issues of wars for their good, and their 
sanctification. He .keeps them by His Spirit. He allows 
neither man nor devil to pluck them out of His hand. 
Whatever tribulation comes on the world, God's elect are 
safe. May we never rest till we know that we are of this 
blessed number ! There breathes not the man or woman 
who can prove that he is not one. The promises of the 
Gospel are open to all. May we give diligence to make 
our calling and election sure ! God's elect are a people 
who cry unto Him night and clay. When Paul saw the 
faith, and hope, and love of the Thessalonians, then he 
knew ct their election of God." (1 Thess. i. 4 ; Luke 
xviii. 7.) 

Finally, we see from these verses, that whenever the 
second advent of Christ takes place, it will be a very sud- 
den event. It will be " as the lightning coming out of 
the east, and shining even to the west." 

This is a practical truth that we should ever keep be- 
fore our minds. That our Lord Jesus will come again in 
person to this world, we know from Scripture. That He 
will come in a time of great tribulation, we also know. 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XXIV. 321 

But the precise period, the year, the month, the day, the 
hour ; are all hidden things. We only know that it will 
be a very sudden event. Our plain duty then is to live 
always prepared for His return. Let us walk by faith, 
and not by sight. Let us believe in Christ, serve Christ, 
follow Christ, and love Christ. So living, when ever 
Christ may return, we shall be ready to meet Him. 



MATTHEW XXIV. 29—35. 



29 Immediately after the tribula- 
tion of those days shall the sun be 
darkened, and the moon shall not give 
her light, and the stars shall fall from 
heaven, and the powers of the heavens 
shall be shaken : 

30 And then shall appear the sign 
of the Son of man in heaven : and 
then shall all the tribes of the earth 
mourn, and they shall see the Son of 
man coming in the clouds of heaven 
with power and great glory. 

31 And he shall send his ange' 



from the four winds, from one end of 
heaven to the other. 

32 Now learn a parable of the fig 
tree : When his branch is yet tender, 
and putteth forth leaves, ye know 
that summer is nigh : 

33 So likewise ye, when ye shall 
see all these things, know that it is 
near, even at the doors. 

34 Verily I say unto you, This gen- 
eration shall not pass" till all these 
things be fulfilled. 

35 Heaven and earth shall pass 



with a great sound of a trumpet, and away, but my words shall not pass 
they shall gather together his elect away. 



In this part of our Lord's prophecy, He describes His 
own second coming, to judge the world. This, at all 
events, seems the natural meaning of the passage. To 
take any lower view appears to be a violent straining of 
Scripture language. If the solemn words here used 
mean nothing more than the coming of the Eoman ar- 
mies to Jerusalem, we may explain away anything in the 
Bible. The event here described is one of far greater 
moment than the march of any earthly army. It is 
noth ing less than the closing act of this dispensation, 
the s econd personal advent of Jesus Christ. 

14*~ 



322 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

These verses teach us, in the first place, that token the 
Lord Jesus returns to this world, He shall come with pe - 
culiar glory and majesty. He shall come "in the clouds 
of heaven with power and great glory." Before His pre- 
sence the very sun, moon, and stars shall he darkened, 
and " the powers of heaven shall he shaken." 

T he secon d personal coming of Christ shall be as 
d[fferent_as possible from the first. f He came the first 
time as, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. 
He was born in the manger of Bethlehem, in lowliness 
and hjimiliation. He took on him the form of a servant, 
and was despised and rejected of men. Helvas betrayed 
intojthe hands of wicked men, condemned by an unJusT 
judgment, mocked, scourged, crowned with thorns, and 
at last crucified between two thieves. He shail_come 
the second time as the King of all the earth, with all 
ia3yM!MljlS^"Tn"&prmcM"and great~men~ofthi s worl d 
shall themselves stand before His throne to receive an 
eternal sentence. Before him every mouth shall be 
stopped, and every knee bow, and every tongue shall 
confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. May we all remember 
this. Whatever ungodly men may do now, there will be 
no scoffing, no jesting at Christ, no infidelity at the last 
day. The servants of Jesus may well wait patiently. 
Their master shall one day be acknowledged King of 
kings by all the world. 

These verses teach us, in the second place, t hat when 
Christ returns to this ivorld, He will first _take care of 
His believing 'people. He shall "send his angels," and 
"gather together his elect." 

In the day of judgment ; tn^^^nsjiansshalj be jper-^ 



matthew, chap. xxiv. 323 

fectly safe. Not a hair of their heads shall fall to the 
ground. Not one bone of Christ's mystical body shall 
be broken. There was an ark for Noah, in the day 
of the flood. There was a Zoar for Lot, when Sodom 
was destroyed. There shall be a hiding-place for all 
believers in Jesus, when the wrath of God at last bursts 
on this wicked world. Those mighty angels who rejoiced 
in heaven when each sinner repented, shall gladly catch 
up the people of Christ to meet their Lord in the air. 
That day no doubt will be an awful day, but believers 
may look forward to it without fear. 

In the day of judgment true Christians shall at length 
be gathered together. The saints of every age, and every 
tongue shall be assembled out of every land. All shall 
be there, from righteous Abel down to the last soul that 
is converted to God, — from the oldest patriarch down to 
the little infant that just breathed and died. Let us 
think what a happy gathering that will be, when all the 
family of God are at length together. If it has been 
pleasant to meet one or two saints occasionally on earth, 
how much more plesant will it be to meet a " multitude 
that no man can number \" Surely we may be content to 
carry the cross, and put up with partings for a few years. 
We travel on towards a day, when we shall meet to part 
no more. 

These verses teach us, in the third place, that until 
Christ returns to this earth, the Jews will always remain 
a separate people. Our Lord tells us, " This generation 
shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled." * 

* I see no other interpretation of these much controverted words, 
1 this generation," which is in the least satisfactory, and is not open 



324 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

The continued existence of the Jews as a distinct 
nation, is undeniably a great miracle. It is one of those 
evidences of the truth of the Bible which the infidel 
can never overthrow. Without a land, without a king, 
without a government, scattered and dispersed over the 
world for eighteen hundred years, the Jews are never 
absorbed among the people of the countries where they 
live, like Frenchmen, Englishmen, and Germans, but 
" dwell alone." Nothing can account for this but the 
finger of God. The Jewish nation stands before the 
world, a crushing answer to infidelity, and a living book 
of evidence that the Bible is true. But we ought not to 
regard the Jews only as witnesses of the truth of Scrip- 
true We should see in them a continual pledge, that 
the Lord Jesus is coming again one day. Like the 
sacrament of the Lord's supper, they witness to the 
reality of the second advent, as well as of the first. Let 
us remember this. Let us see in every wandering Jew 
a proof that the Bible is true, and that Christ will one 
day return. 

Finally, these verses teach us, that our Lords pre- 
dictions ivill certainly be fulfilled. He says, " heaven 
and earth shall pass away, but ray words shall not pass 
away." 

Our Lord knew well the natural unbelief of human 

to very serious objections. The word "generation" admits of the 
sense in which I have taken it, and seems to me to be used in that 
sense in Matt. xii. 45, xvii. 17, and xxiii. 36 ; Luke xvi. 8 r and xvii. 
25 ; and Phililpp. ii. 15. The view that I have propounded is not new. 
It is adopted by Mede, Parceus, Flacius Illyricus, Calovius, Jansenius, 
Due Veil, Adam Clarke, and Stier. Chrysotom, Origen, and Theo- 
phylact consider " this generation" to mean " true believers." 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XXIV. 



32* 



nature. He knew that scoffers would arise in the last 
days, saying, where is the promise of His coming ? (2 Pet. 
iii. 4.) He knew that when He came, faith would be rare 
on the earth. He foresaw how many would contempt- 
uously reject the solemn predictions He had just been 
delivering as improbable, unlikely, and absurd. He warns 
us all against such sceptical thoughts, with a caution of 
peculiar solemnity. He tells us that, whatever man may 
say or think, His words shall be fulfilled in their season, 
and shall not " pass away/' unaccomplished. May we . 
all lay to heart His warning. We live in an unbelieving 
age. Few believed the report of our Lord's first coming, 
and few believe the report of His second^ (IsaiahliiiJ^.) 
Let us beware of this infection, and believe to the saving 
of our souls. We are not reading cunningly devised 
fables, but deep and momentous truths. May Grod give 
us a heart to believe them. 



MATTHEW XXIV. 36—51. 



36 But of that day and hour know- 
eth no man, no, not the angels of 
heaven, but my Father only. 

37 But as the days of Noe were, so 
shall also the coming of the Son of 
man be. 

38 For as in the days that were 
before the flood they were eating and 
drinking, marrying and giving in 
marriage, until the day that Noe 
entered into the ark, 

39 And knew not until the flood 
came, and took them all away; so 
shall also the coming of the Son of 
man be. 

40 Then shall two be in the field ; 
the one shall be taken, and the other 
left, 

41 Two women shall be grinding 



at the mill ; the one shall be taken, 
and the other left. 

42 Watch therefore : for ye know 
not what hour your Lord doth come. 

43 But know this, that if the good- 
man of the house had known in what 
watch the thief would come, he would 
have watched, and would not have 
suffered his house to be broken up. 

44 Therefore be ye also ready : for 
in such an hour as ye think not the 
Son of man cometh. 

45 Who then is a faithful and wise 
servant, whom his lord hath made 
ruler over his household, to give them 
meat in due season ? 

46 Blessed is that servant whom his 
lord when he cometh shall find so 
doing. 



326 



EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 



47 "Verily I say unto you, That he 
shall make him ruler over all his 
goods. 

48 But and if that evil servant shall 
say in his heart, My lord delayeth his 
coming ; 

49 And shall begin to smite his 
fellow-servants, and to eat and drink 
with the drunken ; 



50 The lord of that servant shall 
come in a day when he looketh not 
for him, and in an hour that he is 
not aware of, 

51 And shall cut him asunder, and 
appoint Mm his portion with the 
hypocrites : there shall be weeping 
and smashing of teeth. 



There are verses in this passage which are often much 
misapplied. " The coming of the Son of man" is often 
spoken of as being the same thing as death. The texts 
which describe the uncertainty of His coming are often 
used in epitaphs, and thought suitable to the tomb. But 
there is really no solid ground for such an application of 
this passage. Death is one thing, and the corning of the 
Son of man is quite another. The subject of these 
verses is not death, but the second advent of Jesus 
Christ. Let us remember this. It is a serious thing to 
wrest Scripture out of its true meaning. 

The first thing that demands our attention in these 
verses, is the awful account that they give of the state of 
the world when the Lord Jesus comes again. 

The world will not be converted when Christ returns. 
It will be found in the same condition that it was in the 
day of the flood. When the flood came, men were found 
" eating and drinking, marrying and given in marriage," 
absorbed in their worldly pursuits, and utterly regardless 
of Noah's repeated warnings. They saw no likelihood 
of a flood. They would not believe there was any 
danger. But at last the flood came suddenly and " took 
them all away." All that were not with Noah in the ark 
were drowned. They were all swept away to their last 
account, unpardoned, unconverted, and unprepared to 



327 

meet God. And our Lord says, " so shall also the 
corning of the Son of man be." 

Let us mark this text, and store it up in our minds^ 
There are many strange opinions current on this subject, 
even among good men. Let us not flatter ourselves that 
the heathen will all be converted, and the earth filled 
with the knowledge of God. before the Lord comes. Let 
us not dream that the end of all things cannot be at 
hand, because there is yet much wickedness both in the 
Church and in the world. Such views receive a flat 
contradiction in the passage now before us. The days 
of Noah are the true type of the days when Christ shall 
return. Millions of professing Christians will be found 
thoughtless, unbelieving, Godless, Christless, worldly, 
and unfit to meet their Judge. Let us take heed that we 
are not found amongst them. 

The second thing that demands our attention, is the 
awful separation that ivitt takeplace when the Lord Jesus 
comes again. We read twice over, that " one shall be 
taken and the other left." 

The godly and the ungodly, at present, are all mingled 
together. In the congregation and in the place of wor- 
ship — in the city and in the field — the children of God 
and the children of the world are all side by side. But 
it shall not be so always. In the day of our Lord's re- 
turn, there shall at length be a complete division. In a 
moment, in the twinkling of an eye. at the last trumpet, 
each party shall be separated from the other for ever- 
more. Wives shall be separated from husbands — parents 
from children — brothers from sisters — masters from 
servants — preachers from hearers. There shall be no 



328 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

time for parting words, or a change of mind, when the 
Lord appears. All shall be taken as they are, and reap 
according as they have sown. Believers shall be caught up 
to glory, honor, and eternal life. Unbelievers shall be 
left behind to shame and everlasting contempt. Blessed 
and happy are they who are of one heart in following 
Christ ! Their union alone shall never be broken. It 
shall last for evermore. Who can describe the happiness 
of those who are taken, when the Lord returns ? Who 
can imagine the misery of those who are left behind ? 
May we think on these things and consider our ways. 

The last thing that demands our attention in these 
verses, is the practical duty of watchfulness in the pros- 
pect of Christ's second coming. " W T atch," says oar 
Lord, " for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come/'' 
Be ye ready, for in such an hour as ye think not, the 
Son of man cometh." 

This is a point which our blessed Master frequently 
presses upon our notice. We hardly ever find Him 
dwelling on the second advent without adding an in- 
junction to " watch/' He knows the sleepiness of our 
nature. He knows how soon we forget the most solemn 
subjects in religion. He knows how unceasingly Satan 
labors to obscure the glorious doctrine of His coming 
again. He arms us with heartsearching exhortations 
to keep awake, if we would not be ruined for evermore. 
May we all have an ear to hear them. 

True Christians ought to live like watchmen. The 
day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. They 
should strive to be always on their guard. They should 
behave like the sentinel of an army in an enemy's land. 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XXIV. 329 

They should resolve by Grod's grace not to sleep at their 
post. That text of St. Paul deserves many a thought : 
" let us not sleep as do others ; but let us watch and be 
sober." (1 Thess. v. 6.) 

True Christians ought to live like good servants, whose 
master is not at home. They should strive to be always 
ready for their master's return. They should never give 
way to the feeling, "my Lord delayeth his coming." 
They should seek to keep their hearts in. such a frame, 
that whenever Christ appears, they may at once give 
Him a warm and loving reception. There is a vast 
depth in that saying, " Blessed is that servant, whom his 
Lord when he cometh shall find so doing." We may well 
doubt whether we are true believers in Jesus, if we are 
not ready at any time to have our faith changed into 
sight. 

Let us close the chapter with solemn feelings. The 
things we have just been reading call loudly for great 
searchings of heart. Let us seek to make sure that we 
are in Christ, and have an ark of safety when the day of 
wrath breaks on the world. Let us strive to live that 
we may be pronounced " blessed" at the last, and not 
cast off for evermore. Not least, let us dismiss from our 
minds the common idea that unfulfilled prophecy is a 
speculative and not a practical thing. If the things we 
have been considering are not practical, there is no such 
thing as practical religion at all. Well might St. John 
say, " Every man that hath this hope in him purhieth 
himself, even as he is pure." (1 John iii. 2.) 



330 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 



MATTHEW XXV. 1—13. 



1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven 
be likened unto ten virgins, which 
took their lamps, and went forth to 
meet the bridegroom. 

2 And five of them were wise, and 
five were foolish. 

3 They that were foolish took their 
lamps, and took no oil with them : 

4 But the wise took oil in their 
vessels with their lamps. 

5 While the bridegroom tarried, 



wise, Give us of your oil ; for our 
lamps are gone out. 

9 But the wise answered, saying, 
Not so ; lest there be not enough for 
us and you ; but go ye rather to them 
that sell, and buy for yourselves. 

10 And while they went to buy, the 
bridegroom came ; and they that were 
ready went in with him to the mar- 
riage : and the door was shut. 

il Afterward came also the other 



they all slumbered and slept. | virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to 

6 And at midnight there was a cry j us. 

made, Behold, the bridegroom com- j 12 But he answered and said, Verily 
eth ; go ye out to meet him. j I say unto you, I know you not. 

7 Then all those virgins arose, and ! 13 Watch therefore, for ye know 
trimmed their lamps. neither the clay nor the hour wherein 

8 And the foolish said unto the the Son of man cometh. 



The chapter we have now begun is a continuation of our 
Lord's prophetical discourse on the Mount of Olives. 
The time to which it all refers is plain and unniistake- 
able. From first to last, there is a continual reference 
to the second advent of Christ, and the end of the world. 
The whole chapter contains three great divisions. In 
the first, our Lord uses his own second coming as an 
argument for watchfulness and heart-religion. This He 
does by the parable of the ten virgins. — In the second, 
He uses His own second coming as an argument for 
diligence and faithfulness. This He does by the parable 
of the talents. — In the third, He winds up all by a de- 
scription of the great day of judgment, a passage which 
for majesty and beauty stands unequalled in the New 
Testament. 

The parable of the ten virgins, which we have now 
read, contains lessons peculiarly solemn and awakening. 
Let us see what they are. 

We see for one thing, that the second coming of Christ 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XXV. 331 

will find His Church a mixed body, containing evil as 
well as good. 

The professing Church is compared to "ten virgins, who 
took their lamps and went forth to meet the bridegroom/' 
All of them had lamps, but only five had oil in their 
vessels to feed the flame. All of them professed to have 
one object in view, but five only were truly wise, and the 
rest were foolish. The visible Church of Christ is just 
in the same condition. All its members are baptized in 
the name of Christ, but not all really hear His voice and 
follow Him. All are called Christians, and profess to be 
of the Christian religion, but not all have the grace of the 
Spirit in their hearts, and really are what they profess to 
be. Our own eyes tell us that it is so now. The Lord 
Jesus tells us that it will be so, when He comes again.* 

Let us mark well this description. It is a humbling 

* I think it fair to say, that a different view of this parable is held 
by some interpreters. They consider that the ten virgins represent 
true believers, and that the five foolish ones are believers that fall away 
— or believers that are only shut out from certain privileges at the 
Lord's return, and are finally saved. 

I cannot admit the correctness of this view. It appears to me to do 
great violence to the plain meaning of the conclusion of the parable, 
to be out of keeping with the general tenor of our Lord's discourse in 
this place, and to contradict many texts of Scripture. 

I believe that the ten virgins represent the two great classes which 
compose the visible Church of Christ, the converted and the uncon- 
verted, the false professors and the real Christians, the hypocrites and 
the true believers, the foolish builders and the wise builders, the good 
fish and the bad, the living and the dead, the wheat and the tares. 

This view is neither new nor uncommon. It is held, in the main, by 
the following commentators : — Bullinger, Brentius, Gualter, Pelican, 
Beza, Ferus, Parceus, Piscator, Musculus, Leigh, Baxter, Quesnel, 
Poole, Manton, Henry, Burkitt, Doddridge, Gill, and Scott. 



832 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

picture. After all our preachings and prayings — after 
all our visiting and teaching— after all our missionary 
exertions abroad, and means of grace at home, many will 
he found at last " dead in trespasses and sins I" The 
wickedness and unbelief of human nature, is a subject 
about which we have all much to learn. 

We see, for another thing, that Christ's second 
coming, whenever it may be, will take men by surprise, 

This is a truth which is set before us in the parable, in 
a very striking manner. At midnight, when the virgins 
were slumbering and sleeping, there was a cry, " The 
bridegroom cometh, go ye forth to meet Him." It will 
be j ust the same, when Jesus returns' to the world. He 
will find the vast majority of mankind utterly unbelieving 
and unprepared. He will find the bulk of His believing 
people in a sleepy and indolent state of soul. Business 
will be going on in town and country, just as it does now. 
Politics, trades, farming, buying, selling, pleasure- 
seeking, will be taking up men's attention, just as they 
do now. Rich men will still be faring sumptuously, and 
poor men murmuring and complaining. Churches will 
still be full of divisions, and wrangling about trifles, and 
theological controversies will be still raging. Ministers 
will still be calling men to repent, and congregations 
still putting off the day of decision. — In the midst of all 
this, the Lord Jesus Himself shall suddenly appear. In 
an hour when no man thinketh, the startled world shall 
be summoned to break off all its employments, and to 
stand before its lawful King. There is something un- 
speakably awful in the idea. But thus it is written and 
thus it shall be. Well might a dying minister say, "we 
are none of us more than half-awake." 



333 

We see, in the next place, that when the Lord comes 
again, many will find out the value of saving religion 
too late. 

The parable tells us that when the bridegroom came, 
the foolish virgins said unto the wise, "give us of your 
oil; for our lamps are gone out." It tells us further, 
that as the wise had no oil to spare, the foolish went to 
" buy for themselves." It tells us finally, that they came 
when the door was shut, and asked in vain for admission. 
" Lord, Lord," they cried, " open unto us." All these 
expressions are striking emblems of things to come. Let 
us take heed that we do not find them true by experience, 
to our own eternal ruin. 

We may settle it in our minds, that there will be an 
entire change of opinion one day as to the necessity of 
decided Christianity. At present, we must all be aware, 
the vast majority of professing Christians care nothing 
at all about it. They have no sense of sin. They have 
no love towards Christ. They know nothing of being 
born again. Kepentance, and faith, and grace, and holi- 
ness, are mere words and names to them. They are 
subjects which they either dislike, or about which they 
feel no concern. But all this state of things shall one 
day come to an end. Knowledge, conviction, the value of 
the soul, the need of a Saviour, shall all burst on men's 
minds one day like a flash of lightning. But alas ! it 
will be too late. It will be too late to be buying oil, 
when the Lord returns. The mistakes that are not found 
out till that day are irretrievable. 

Are we ever mocked and persecuted and thought 
foolish because of our religion ? Let us bear it patiently; 



334 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

and pray for those who persecute us. They know not 
what they are doing. They will certainly alter their 
minds one day. We may yet hear them confessing, 
that we were wise and they were foolish. The whole 
world shall one day acknowledge, that the saints of God 
made a wise choice. 

We see, lastly, inthisparahle, that when Christ returns, 
true Christians shall receive arichreiuardfor allthey have 
suffered for their Master's sake. We are told that when 
the bridegroom came, " they that were ready went in 
with Him to the marriage : and the door was shut/' 

True Christians shall alone be found ready at the 
second advent. Washed in the blood of atonement, 
clothed in Christ's righteousness, renewed by the Spirit, 
they shall meet their Lord with boldness, and sit down 
at the marriage supper of the Lamb, to go out no more. 
Surely this is a blessed prospect. 

They shall be with their Lord, — with Him who loved 
them and gave Himself for them, — with Him who bore 
with them, and carried them through their earthly 
pilgrimage, — with Him, whom they loved truly and 
followed faithfully on earth, though with much weakness, 
and many a tear. Surely this also is a blessed prospect. 

The door shall be shut at last — shut on all pain and 
sorrow, — shut on an illnatured and wicked world — shut 
on a tempting devil — shut on all doubts and fears — 
shut, to be opened again no more. Surely, we may again 
say, this is a blessed prospect. 

Let us remember these things. They will bear medi- 
tation. They are all true. The believer may have 
much tribulation, but he has before him abounding* 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XXV. 



335 



consolations. Heaviness may endure for a night, but 
joy corneth in the morning. Tbe clay of Christ's return 
shall surely make amends for all. 

Let us leave this parable with a settled determination, 
never to be content with anything short of indwelling 
grace in our hearts. The lamp and the name of Christian 
— the profession and the ordinances of Christianity, are 
all well in their w T ay, but they are not the one thing 
needful. Let us never rest till we know that we have 
the oil of the Spirit in our hearts. 



MATTHEW XXV. 14-30. 



14 For the kingdom of heaven is 
as a man travelling into a far country, 
ivho called his own servants, and de- 
livered unto them his goods. 

15 And unto one he gave five tal- 
ents, to another two, and to another 
one ; to every man according to his 
several ability ; and straightway took 
his journey. 

16 Then he that had received the 
five talents went and traded with the 
same, and made them other five tal- 
ents. 

17 And likewise he that had receiv- 
ed two, he also gained other two. 

18 But he that had received one 
went and digged in the earth, and 
hid his lord's money. 

19 After a long time the lord of 
those servants cometh, andreckoneth 
with them. 

20 And so he that had received five 
talents came and brought other five 
talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst 
unto me five "talents : behold, 1 have 
gained beside them five talents more. 

•21 His lord said unto him, Well 
done, thou good and faithful servant : 
thou hast been faithful over a few 
things, 1 will make thee ruler over 
many things : enter thou into the joy 
of thy Lord. 



22 He also that had received two 
talents came and said, Lord, thou 
deliveredst unto me two talents : be- 
hold, I have gained two other talents 
beside them. 

23 His lord said unto him, Well 
done, good and faithful servant ; thou 
hast been faithful over a few things, 
I will make thee ruler over many 
things : enter thou into the joy of thy 
Lord. 

24 Then he which had received the 
one talent came and said, Lord, I 
knew thee that thou art an hard man, 
reaping where thou hast not sown, 
and gathering where thou hast not 
strawed ; 

25 And I was afraid, and went and 
hid thy talent in the earth : lo, there 
thou hast that is thine. 

26 His lord answered and said unto 
him, Thou wicked and slothful ser- 
vant, thou knewest that I reap where 
I sowed not, and gather where I have 
not strawed : 

27 Thou oughtest therefore to have 
put my money to the exchangers, and 
then at my coming I should "have re- 
ceived mine own with usury. 

28 Take therefore the talent from 
him, and give it unto him which hath 
ten talents. 



336 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 



29 For unto every one that hath 
Bhall be given, and he shall have 
abundance : but from him that hath 
not shall be taken away even that 
which he hath. 



30 And cast ye the unprofitable 
servant into outer darkness: there 
shall be weeping and gnashing of 
teeth. 



The parable of the talents which we have now read 
is near akin to that of the ten virgins. Both direct 
our minds to the same important event, the second 
advent of Jesus Christ. Both bring before us the same 
persons, the members of the professing Church of Christ. 
The virgins and the servants are one and the same 
people, — but the same people regarded from a different 
point, and viewed on different sides. The practical 
lesson of each parable is the main point of difference. 
Vigilance is the key note of the first parable, diligence 
that of the second. The story of the virgins calls on 
the Church to watch, the story of the talents calls on 
the Church to work. 

We learn, in the first place, from this parable, that all 
professing Christians have received something from God. 
We are all God's "servants." We have all "talents" 
entrusted to our charge. 

The word " talents" is an expression that has been 
curiously turned aside from its original meaning. It is 
generally a pplied to none but people of remarkable ability 
or gifts. They are called " talented" people. Such an 
use of the expression is a mere modern invention. In the 
sense in which our Lord used the word in this parable, it 
applies to all baptized persons without distinction. We 
have all talents in God's sight. We are all talented 
people. 

Anything whereby we may glorify God is a talent 



i 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XXV. 337 

Our gifts, our influence, our money, our knowledge, 
our health, our strength, our time, our senses, our 
reason, our intellect, our memory, our affections, our 
privileges as members of Christ's Church, our advanta- 
ges as possessors of the Bible, — all, all are talents. 
"Whence came these things ? What hand bestowed 
them ? Why are we what we are ? Why are we not 
the worms that crawl on the earth ? There is only 
one answer to these questions. All that we have is a 
loan from God. We are God's stewards. We are God's 
debtors. Let this thought sink deeply into our hearts. 

We learn in the second place, that many make a had 
use of the privileges and mercies they receive from God. 
We are told in the parable of one who " digged in the 
earth and hid his Lord's money." That man represents 
a large class of mankind. 

To hide our talent is to neglect opportunities of glori- 
fying God, when we have them. The Bible-despiser, the 
prayer-neglecter, and the Sabbath-breaker, — the unbe- 
lieving, the sensual, and the earthly-minded, — the trifler, 
the thoughtless, and the pleasure-seeker, — the money- 
lover, the covetous, and the self-indulgent, — all, all are 
alike burying their Lord's money in the ground. They 
have all light that they do not use. They might all 
be better than they are. But they are all daily robbing 
God. He has lent them much and they make Him no 
return. The words of Daniel to Belshazzar, are strictly 
applicable to every unconverted person : " the God in 
whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, 
hast thou not glorified." (Dan. v. 23.) 

We learn in the third place, that all professing Chris- 
lb 



338 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

tians must one day have a reckoning with God. The para° 
ble tells us that " after a long time the lord of those 
servants came, and reckoned with them/' 

There is a judgment before us all. Words have no 
meaning in the Bible, if there is none. It is mere trifling 
with Scripture to deny it. There is a judgment before 
us according to our works, certain, strict, and unavoida- 
ble. Higb or low, rich or poor, learned or unlearned, 
we shall all have to stand at the bar of God and to receive 
our eternal sentence. There will be no escape. Con- 
cealment will be impossible. We and God must at last 
meet face to face. We shall have to render an account 
of every privilege that was granted to us, and of every 
ray of light that we enjoyed. We shall rind that we are 
dealt with as accountable and responsible creatures, and 
that to whomsoever much is given, of them much will be 
required. Let us remember this every day we live. Let 
us "judge ourselves that we be not condemned of the 
Lord." 

We learn, in the fourth place, thai true Christians will 
receive an abundant reward in the great day of reckoning. 
The parable tells us that the servants who had used their 
Lord's money well, were commended as "good and faith- 
ful/' and told to " enter into the joy of their Lord." 

These words are full of comfort to all believers, and 
may well fill us with wonder and surprise. The best of 
Christians is a poor frail creature, and needs the blood of 
atonement every day that he lives. But the least and 
lowest of believers will find that he is counted among 
Christ's servants, and that his labour has not been in vain 
in the Lord. He will discover to his amazement, that 



339 

his Master's eye saw more beauty in his efforts to please 
Him, than he ever saw himself. He will find that every 
hour spent in Christ's service, and every word spoken on 
Christ's behalf, has been written in a book of remem- 
brance. Let believers remember these things and take 
courage. — The cross may be heavy now, but the glorious 
reward shall make amends for all. Well says Leighton, 
" Here some drops of joy enter into us, but there we 
shall enter into joy." 

We learn in the last place, that all unfruitful members 
of Christ 's Church tuill be condemned and cast aivay in the 
day of judgment. The parable tells us that the servant 
who buried his master's money, was condemned as 
" wicked/' " slothful," and " unprofitable," and cast into 
" outer darkness." And our Lord adds the solemn words, 
" there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." 

There will be no excuse for an unconverted Christian 
at the last day. The reasons with which he now pre- 
tends to satisfy himself will prove useless and vain. The 
Judge of all the earth will be found to have done right. 
The ruin of the lost soul will be found to be his own 
fault. Those words of our Lord, " thou knewest," are 
words that ought to ring loudly in many a man's ears, 
and prick him to the heart. Thousands are living at 
this day without Christ and without conversion, and yet 
pretending that they cannot help it. And all this time 
they know in their own conscience that they are guilty. 
They are burying their talent. They are not doing 
what they can. Happy are they who find this out be- 
times. It will all come out at the last day. 

Let us leave this parable with a solemn determination, 



340 



EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 



by God's grace, never to be content with a profession of 
Christianity without practice. Let us not only talk about 
religion, but act. Let us not only feel the importance of 
religion, but do something too. We are not told that the 
unprofitable servant was a murderer, or a thief, or even 
a waster of his Lord's money. But he did nothing, — 
and this was his ruin. Let us beware of a do-nothing 
Christianity. Such Christianity does not come from the 
Spirit of God. u To do no harm," says Baxter, " is the 
praise of a stone, not of a man." 



MATTHEW XXV. 31—46. 



31 When the Son of man shall 
come in his glory, and all the holy 
angels with him, then shall he sit 
upon the throne of his glory : 

32 And before him shall be gathered 
all nations: and he shall separate 
them one from another, as a shepherd 
divideth Ms sheep from the goats : 

33 And he shall set the sheep on 
his right hand, but the goats on the 
left. 

34 Then shall the king say unto 
them on his right hand, Come, ye 
blessed of my Father, inherit the 
kingdom prepared for you from the 
foundation of the world : 

35 For I was an hungered, and ye 
gave me meat ; I was thirsty, and ye 
gave me drink : I was a stranger, and 
ye took me in : 

36 Naked, and ye clothed me : I 
was sick, and ye visited me : I was 
in prison, and ye came unto me. 

37 Then shall the righteous answer 
him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee 
an hungered, and fed thee f or thirsty, 
and gave thee drink ? 

38 When saw we thee a stranger. 



and took thee m 
clothed thee ? 



or naked, an< 



39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in 
prison, and came unto thee ? 

40 And the King shall answer and 
say unto them, Verily I say unto you, 
Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one 
of the least of these my brethren, ye 
have done it unto me. 

41 Then shall he say also unto 
them on the left hand, Depart from 
me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, 
prepared for the devil and his angels : 

42 For I was an hungered, and ye 
gave me no meat: I was thirsty,- and 
ye gave me no drink ; 

43 I was a stranger, and ye took 
me not in : naked, and ye clothed me 
not; sick, and in prison, and ye vis- 
ited me not. 

44 Then shall they also answer him, 
saying, Lord, when saw we thee an 
hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or 
naked, or sick, or in prison, and did 
not minister unto thee ? 

45 Then shall he answer them, say- 
ing Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch 
as ye did it not to one of the least 
of these, ye did it not to me. 

46 And these shall go away into 
everlasting punishment : but the righ- 
teous into life eternal. 



In these verses our Lord Jesus Christ describes the 
judgment-day, and some of its leading circumstances. 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XXV, 341 

There are few passages in the whole Bible more solemn 
and heart-searching than this. May we read it with the 
deep and serious attention which it deserves. 

Let us mark in the first place, who will be the Judge 
in the last day. We read that it will be " the Son of 
Man/' Jesus Christ Himself. 

That same Jesus who was born in the manger of 
Bethlehem, and took upon Him the form of a servant, — 
who was despised and rejected of men, and often had not 
where to lay His head, — who was condemned by the 
princes of this world, beaten, scourged, and nailed to the 
cross, — that same Jesus shall Himself judge the world, 
when He comes in His glory. To Him the Father hath 
committed all judgment. (John v. 22.) To Him at 
last every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess that 
He is Lord. (Philip, ii. 10, 11.) 

Let believers think of this, and take comfort. He 
that sits upon the throne in that great and dreadful day 
will be their Saviour, their Shepherd, their High Priest, 
their elder Brother, their Friend. When they see Him, 
they will have no cause to be alarmed. 

Let unconverted people think of this, and be afraid. 
Their judge will be that very Christ, whose G-ospel they 
now despise, and whose gracious invitations they refuse 
to hear. How great will be their confusion at last, if 
they go on in unbelief and die in their sins ! To be con- 
demned in the day of judgment by any one would be 
awful. But to be condemned by Him who would have 
saved them will be awful indeed. Well may the Psalmist 
say, " Kiss the Son lest he be angry." (Psalm ii. 12.) 

Let us mark, in the second place, ivho mill be judged in 



342 EXPOSITOKY THOUGHTS. 

the last day. We read that before Christ "shall be 
gathered all nations." 

All that have ever lived shall one day give account 
of themselves at the bar of Christ. All must obey the 
summons of the great King, and come forward to receive 
their sentence. Those who would not come to worship 
Christ on earth, will find they must come to His great 
assize, when He returns to judge the world. 

All that are judged will be divided into two great 
classes. There will no longer be any distinction between 
kings and subjects, or masters and servants, or dissenters 
and churchmen. There will be no mention of ranks and 
denominations, for the former things will have passed 
away. Grace, or no grace, conversion or unconversion, 
faith or no faith, will be the only distinctions at the last 
day. All that are found in Christ will be placed among 
the sheep at His right hand. All that are not found in 
Christ will be placed among the goats at His left. Well 
says Sherlock, u Our separations will avail us nothing, 
unless we take care to be found in the number of Christ's 
sheep, when He comes to judgment." 

Let us mark, in the third place, in what manner the 
judgment will he conducted in the last day. We read of 
several striking particulars on this point. Let us see 
what they are. 

The last judgment will be a judgment according to 
evidence. The works of men are the witnesses which 
will be brought forward, and above all their works of 
charity. The question to be ascertained will not merely 
be what we said, but what we did, — not merely what we 
professed but what we practised. Our works unquestion- 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XXV. 343 

ably will not justify us. We are justified by faith with- 
out the deeds of the law. But the truth of our faith 
will be tested by our lives. Faith which hath not works 
is dead, being alone. (James ii. 11.) 

The last judgment will be a judgment that will bring 
joy to all true believers. They will hear those precious 
words, " Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the 
kingdom/'' They will be owned and confessed by their 
Master before His Father and the holy angels. They 
shall find that the wages He gives to His faithful 
servants are nothing less than " a kingdom." The least, 
and lowest, and poorest, of the family of G-od, shall 
have a crown of glory, and be a king. 

The last judgment w T ill be a judgment that will bring 
confusion on all unconverted people. They will hear 
those awful words, Cl Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting 
fire." They will be disowned by the great Head of the 
Church before the assembled world. They will find that 
as they would sow to the flesh, so of the flesh they must 
reap corruption. They would not hear Christ, when He 
said " Come unto me, and I will give you rest," and now 
they must hear Him say, " Depart, into everlasting fire." 
They would not carry his cross, and so they can have no 
place in his kingdom. 

The last judgment will be a judgment that will strikingly 
bring out the characters both of the lost and saved. They 
on the right hand, who are Christ's sheep, will still be 
" clothed with humility." They will marvel to hear any 
work of theirs brought forward and commended.' — They 
on the left hand, who are not Christ's, will still be blind 
and self-righteous. They will not be sensible of any 



344 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

neglect of Christ. " Lord/' they say, " when saw we 
thee, — and did not minister unto thee ?" Let this thought 
sink down into our hearts. Characters on earth will 
prove an everlasting possession in the world to come. 
"With the same heart that men die, with that heart they 
will rise again. 

Let us mark, in the last place, what will be the final 
results of the judgment day. We are told this in words 
that ought never to be forgotten, " the wicked shall go 
away into everlasting punishment : but the righteous 
into life eternal." 

The state of things after the judgment is changeless 
and without end. The misery of the lost, and the 
blessedness of the saved, are both alike for ever. Let 
no man deceive us on this point. It is clearly revealed 
in Scripture. The eternity of God, and heaven, and hell, 
all stand on the same foundation. As surely as God is 
eternal, so surely is heaven an endless day without night, 
and hell an endless night without day. 

Who shall describe the blessedness of eternal life ? 
It passes the power of man to conceive. It can only be 
measured by contrast and comparison. An eternal rest, 
after warfare and conflict, — the eternal company of saints, 
after buffeting with an evil world, — an eternally glorious 
and painless body, after struggling with weakness and 
infirmity, — an eternal sight of Jesus face to face, after 
only hearing and believing, — all this is blessedness indeed. 
And yet the half of it remains untold. 

Who shall describe the misery of eternal punishment ? 
It is something utterly indescribable and inconceivable. 
The eternal pain of body, — the eternal sting of an accus- 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XXVI. 



345 



ing conscience — the eternal society of none but the wicked, 
the devil and his angels — the eternal remembrance of 
opportunities neglected and Christ despised — the eternal 
prospect of a weary, hopeless future — all this is misery 
indeed. It is enough to make our ears tingle, and our 
blood run cold. And yet this picture is nothing, com- 
pared to the reality. 

Let us close these verses with serious self-inquiry. 
Let us ask ourselves on which side of Christ we are 
likely to be at the last day. Shall we be on the right 
hand, or shall we be on the left ? Happy is he who 
never rests till he can give a satisfactory answer to this 
question. 



MATTHEW XXVI. 1—13. 



1 And it came to pass, when Jesus 
had finished all these sayings, he said 
unto his disciples, 

2 Ye know that after two days is 
the feast o/"the Passover, and the Son 
of man is betrayed to be crucified. 

3 Then assembled together the 
Chief Priests, aud the Scribes, and 
the elders of the people, unto the 
palace of the High Priest, who was 
called Caiaphas, 

4 And consulted that they might 
take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him. 

5 But they said, Not on the fe?st 
day, lest there be an uproar among 
the people. 

6 Now when Jesus was in Bethany, 
in the house of Simon the leper, 

7 There came unto him a woman 
having an alabaster box of very pre- 
cious ointment, and poured it on his 



head, as he sat at meat. 

8 But when his disciples saw it, 
they had indignation, saying, To what 
purpose is this waste ? 

9 For this ointment might have 
been sold for much, and given to the 
poor. 

10 When Jesus understood it, he 
said unto them, Why trouble ye the 
woman ? for she hath wrought a good 
work upon me. 

11 For ye have the poor always 
with you j but me ye have not always. 

12 For in that she hath poured this 
ointment on my body, she did it for 
my burial. 

13 Verily I say unto you, Where- 
soever this Gospel shall be preached 
in the whole world, there shall also 
this, that this woman hath done, be 
told for a memorial of her. 



We now approach the closing scene of our Lord Jesus 
Christ's earthly ministry. Hitherto we have read of His 
sayings and doings : we are now about to read of His 

15* 



346 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

sufferings and death. Hitherto we have seen him as 
the great Prophet : we are now about to see Him as the 
great High Priest. 

It is a portion of Scripture which ought to be read 
with peculiar reverence and attention. The place where- 
on we stand is holy ground. Here we see how the Seed 
of the woman bruised the Serpent's head. Here we see 
the great sacrifice to which all the sacrifices of the Old 
Testament had long pointed. Here we see how the 
blood was shed which " cleanseth from all sin/' and the 
Lamb slain who " taketh away the sin of the world." We 
see in the death of Christ, the great mystery revealed, 
how Grod can be just, and yet justify the ungodly. No 
wonder that all the four Grospels contain a full account 
of this wonderful event. On other points in our Lord's 
history, we often find, that when one evangelist speaks, 
the other three are silent. But when we come to the 
crucifixion, we find it minutely described by all four. 

In these verses we have now read, let us first observe 
how careful our Lord is to recall the attention of His disci- 
ples to His own death. He said to them, " Ye know that 
after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son 
of Man is betrayed to be crucified." 

The connexion of these words with the preceding 
chapter is exceedingly striking. Our Lord had just 
been dwelling on His own second coming in power and 
glory at the end of the world. He had been describing 
the last judgment, and all its awful accompaniments. 
He had been speaking of Himself as the Judge, before 
whose throne all nations would be gathered. And then 
at once, without pause or interval, He goes on to speak 



347 

of His crucifixion. While the marvellous predictions of 
His final glory were yet ringing in the ears of His disci- 
ples, He tells them once and again of His coming 
sufferings. He reminds them that He must die as a 
sin-offering before He reigned as a king, — that He must 
make atonement on the cross, before he took the crown. 

We can never attach too much importance to the 
atoning death of Christ. It is the leading fact in the 
word of God, on which the eyes of our soul ought to be 
ever fixed. Without the shedding of his blood, there 
is no remission of sin. It is the cardinal truth on which 
the whole system of Christianity hinges. Without it 
the Gospel is an arch without a key-stone, a fair building 
without a foundation, a solar system without a sun. 
Let us make much of our Lord's incarnation and exam- 
ple, His miracles and his parables, His works and His 
w r ords, but above all let us make much of His death. 
Let us delight in the hope of his second personal coming 
and millennial reign, but let us not think more even of 
these blessed truths, than of the atonement on the cross. 
This, after all, is the master-truth of Scripture, that 
." Christ died for our sins/' To this let us daily return. 
On this let us daily feed our souls. Some, like the 
Greeks of old, may sneer at the doctrine, and call it 
" foolishness." But let us never be ashamed to say with 
Paul, " God forbid that I should glory save in the cross 
of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Gal. vi. 14.) 

Let us observe, in the second place, in these verses, 
what honor Christ loves to put on those that honor Him. 

We are told that when He was "in the house of 
Simon the leper/' a certain woman came, while He sat at 



348 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

meat, and poured a box of precious ointment on His 
head. She did it, no doubt, out of reverence and affec- 
tion. She had received soul-benefit from Him, and she 
thought no mark of honour too costly to be bestowed on 
Him in return. But this deed of hers called forth dis- 
approbation from some who saw it. They called it 
" waste." They said it might have been better to sell the 
ointment, and give the money to the poor. At once our 
Lord rebuked these cold-hearted fault-finders. He tells 
them that the woman has " wrought a good work," and 
one that he accepts and approves. And he goes on to 
make a striking prediction, " Wheresoever this Gospel is 
preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that 
this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her." 

We see, in this little incident, how perfectly our Lord 
knew things to come, and how easy it is for him to con- 
fer honor. This prophecy of His about this woman is 
receiving a fulfilment every day before our eyes. Wher- 
ever the Gospel of St. Matthew is read, the deed that 
she did is known. The deeds and titles of many a king, 
and emperor, and general, are as completely forgotten, 
as if written in the sand. But the grateful act of one 
humble Christian woman is recorded in one hundred and 
fifty different languages, and is known all over the globe. 
The praise of man is but for a few days. The praise 
of Christ endureth for ever. The pathway to lasting 
honor, is to honor Christ. 

Last, but not least, we see in this incident a blessed 
foretaste of things that will yet take place in the day of 
judgment. In that great day no honor done to Christ 
on earth shall be found to have been forgotten. The 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XXVI, 349 

speeches of parliamentary orators, the exploits of warri- 
ors, the works of poets and painters, shall not be 
mentioned in that day. But the least work that the 
weakest Christian woman has done for Christ, or His 
members, shall be found written in a book of everlasting 
remembrance. Not a single kind word or deed, not a 
cup of cold water, or a box of ointment, shall be omitted 
from the record. Silver and gold she may have had 
none, — rank, power, and influence she may not have 
possessed, — but if she loved Christ, and confessed Christ, 
and worked for Christ, her memorial shall be found on 
high. She shall be commended before assembled worlds. 
Do we know what it is to work for Christ ? If we do, 
let us take courage, and work on. What greater en- 
couragement can we desire than we see here ? We may 
be laughed at and ridiculed by the world. Our motives 
may be misunderstood. Our conduct may be misrepre- 
sented. Our sacrifices for Christ's sake may be called 
u waste," — waste of time, waste of money, waste of 
strength. Let none of these things move us. The eye 
of Him who sat in Simon's house in Bethany is upon us. 
He notes all we do, and is well-pleased. Let us be 
" steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work 
of the Lord, forasmuch as we know that our labor is 
not in vain in the Lord." (1 Cor. xv. 58.) 



MATTHEW XXVI. 14—25. 



14 Then one of the twelve, called 
Judas Iscariot, went unto the Chief 
Priests, 

15 And said unto tJiem, What will 



unto yon ? And they covenanted with 
him for thirty pieces of silver. 

16 And from that time he sought 
opportunity to "betray him. 



ye give me, and I will deliver him I 17 Now the first day of the feast 



350 



EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 



of unleavened bread the disciples 
came to Jesus, saying unto Mm, 
Where wilt thou that we prepare for 
thee to eat the Passover ? 

18 And he said, Go into the city to 
euch a man, and say unto him, The 
Master saith, My time is at hand ; I 
will keep the Passover at thy house 
with my disciples. 

19 And the disciples did as Jesus 
had appointed them ; and they made 
ready the Passover. 

20 Now when the even was come, 
he sat down with the twelve. 

21 And as they did eat, he said 



Verily, I say unto you, that one of you 
shall betray me. 

22 And they were exceeding sor- 
rowful, and began every one of them 
to say unto him, Lord, is it I ? 

23 And he answered and said, He 
that dippeth his hand with me in the 
dish, the same shall betray me. 

24 The Son of man goeth as it is 
written of him : but wo unto that 
man by whom the Son of man is be- 
trayed! it had been good for that 
man if ho had not been born. 

25 Then Judas, which betrayed him. 
answered and said. Master, is it I ? 
He said unto him, Thou hast said. 



We read in the beginning of this passage, how our Lord 
Jesus Christ was betrayed into the hands of His deadly 
enemies. The priests and scribes, however anxious to 
put him to death, were at a loss how to effect their 
purpose, for fear of an uproar among the people. At 
this juncture a fitting instrument for carrying out their 
designs, offered himself to them, in the person of Judas 
Iscariot. That false apostle undertook to deliver his 
Master into their hands, for thirty pieces of silver. 

There are few blacker pages in all history, than the 
character and conduct of Judas Iscariot. There is no 
more awful evidence of the wickedness of man. A poet 
of our own has said, that " sharper than a serpent's tooth 
is a thankless child." But what shall we say of a disci- 
ple who could betray his own Master, — an apostle who 
could sell Christ ? Surely this was not the least bitter 
part of the cup of suffering which our Lord drank. 

Let us learn, in the first place, from these verses, that 
a man may enjoy great privileges, and make a great reli- 
gious profession, and yet his heart all the time may not be 
right before God. 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XXVI. 351 

Judas Iscariot had the highest possible religious privi- 
leges. He was a chosen apostle, and companion of 
Christ. He was an eye-witness of our Lord's miracles, 
and a hearer of His sermons. He saw what Abraham 
and Moses never saw, and heard what David and Isaiah 
never heard. He lived in the society of the eleven 
apostles. He was a fellow-laborer with Peter, James, 
and John. But for all this his heart was never changed. 
He clung to one darling sin. 

Judas Iscariot made a reputable profession of religion. 
There was nothing but what was right, and proper, and 
becoming in his outward conduct. Like the other apos- 
tles, he appeared to believe and to give up all for Christ's 
sake. Like them he was sent forth to preach and work 
miracles. No one of the eleven appears to have sus- 
pected him of hypocrisy. When our Lord said, " One 
of you shall betray rne," no one said, "Is it Judas ?" 
Yet all this time his heart was never changed. 

We ought to observe these things. They are deeply 
humbling and instructive. Like Lot's wife, Judas is 
intended to be a beacon to the whole church. Let us 
often think about him, and say, as we think, " Search 
me, Lord, and try my heart, and see if there be any 
wicked way in me." Let us resolve, by God's grace, 
that we will never be content with anything short of 
sound, thorough, heart conversion. 

Let us learn, in the second place, from these verses, 
that the love of money is one of the greatest snares to a man's 
soul. We cannot conceive a clearer proof of this, than 
the case of Judas. That wretched question, •" What 
will ye give me ?" reveals the secret sin which was his 



352 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

ruin. He had given up much for Christ's sake, but 
he had not given up his covetousness. 

The words of the apostle Paul should often ring in our 
ears, "the love of money is the root of all evil." (2 Tim. 
vi. 10.) The history of the Church abounds in illustrations 
of this truth. For money Joseph was sold by his brethren. 
For money Samson was betrayed to the Philistines. 
For money Gehazi deceived Naaman, and lied to Elisha. 
For money Ananias and Sapphira tried to deceive Peter. 
For money the Son of God was delivered into the hands 
of wicked men. Wonderful indeed does it seem that 
the cause of so much evil should be loved so well. 

Let us all be on our guard against the love of money. 
The world is full of it in our days. The plague is 
abroad. Thousands who would abhor the idea of wor- 
shipping Juggernaut, are not ashamed to make an idol 
of gold. We are all liable to the infection, from the 
least to the greatest. We may love money without 
having it, just as we may have money without loving it. 
It is an evil that works very deceitfully. It carries us 
captives before we are aware of our chains. Once let it 
get the mastery, and it will harden, palsy, sear, freeze, 
blight, and wither our souls. It overthrew an apostle 
of Christ. Let us take heed that it does not overthrow 
us. One leak may sink a ship. One unmortified sin may 
ruin a soul. 

We ought frequently to call to mind the solemn words, 
" What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world, 
and lose his own soul ?" " We brought nothing into 
this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out." 
Our daily prayer should be, " Give me neither poverty 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XXVI. 353 

nor riches : feed me with food convenient for me." (Prov. 
xxx. 8.) Our constant aim should be to he rich in grace. 
They that " will be rich" in worldly possessions often 
find at last that they have made the worst of bargains. 
Like Esau, they have bartered an eternal portion for 
a little temporary gratification. Like Judas Iscariot, 
they have sold themselves to everlasting perdition. 

Let ns learn, in the last place, from these verses, the 
hopeless condition of all who die unconverted. The words 
of our Lord on this subject are peculiarly solemn. He 
says of Judas, " It had been good for that man, if he 
had not been born." 

This saying admits of only one interpretation. It 
teaches plainly, that it is better never to live at all, than 
to live without faith, and to die without grace. To die 
in this state is to be ruined for ever more. It is a fall 
from which there is no rising. It is a loss which is 
utterly irretrievable. There is no change in hell. The 
gulf between hell and heaven is one that no man can 
pass. 

This saying could never have been used, if there was 
any truth in the doctrine of universal salvation. If it 
really was true that all would sooner or later reach 
heaven, and hell sooner or later be emptied of inhabi- 
tants, it never could be said that it would have been 
" good for a man not to have been born." Hell itself 
would lose its terrors, if it had an end. Hell itself would 
be endurable, if after millions of ages there was a hope 
of freedom and of heaven. But universal salvation will 
find no foot-hold in Scripture. The teaching of the word 
of God is plain and express on the subject. There is a 



354 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

worm that never dies, and a fire that is not quenched, 
(Mark ix. 44.) "Except a man be born again," he will wish 
one day he had never been born at all. " Better," says 
Burkitt, "have no being, than not have a beingin Christ." 
Let us grasp this truth firmly, and not let it go. 
There are always persons who dislike the reality and 
eternity of hell. We live in a day when a morbid charity 
induces many to exaggerate God's mercy, at the expense 
of His justice, and when false teachers are daring to talk 
of a " love of God, lower even than hell." Let us resist 
such teaching with a holy jealousy, and abide by the 
doctrine of Holy Scripture. Let us not be ashamed to 
walk in the old paths, and to believe that there is an 
eternal God, an eternal heaven, and an eternal hell. 
Once depart from this belief, and we admit the thin edge 
of the wedge of scepticism, and may at last deny any 
doctrine of the Gospel. We may rest assured that there 
is no firm standing ground between a belief in the eter- 
nity of hell, and downright infidelity. 



MATTHEW XXVI. 26—35. 



26 And as they were eating, Jesus ye shall be offended because of me this 
took bread, and blessed it, and brake night ; for it is written, I will smite 
it, and gave it to the disciples, and the shepherd, and the sheep of the 
said, Take, eat ; this is my body. ; flock shall be scattered .abroad. 

27 And he took the cup, and gave 32 But after I am risen again, I 
thanks, and gave it to them, saying, will go before you into Galilee. 
Drink ye all of it ; 33 Peter answered and said unto 

28 For this is my blood of the new him, Though all men shall be offended 
testament, which is shed for many for because of thee, yet will I never be 
the remission of sins. [offended. 

29 But I say unto you, I will not j 34 Jesus said unto him, Verily I 
drink henceforth of this fruit of the ; say unto thee, That this night, before 
vine, until that day when I drink it | the cock crow, thou shalt deny me 
new with you in my Father's kingdom, thrice. 

30 And when they had sung an J 35 Peter said unto him, Though I 
hymn, they went out into the mount should die with thee, yet will I not 
of Olives. i deny thee. Likewise also said all the 

31 Then saith Jesus unto them, All | disciples. 

Thesit verses describe the appointment of the sacrament 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XXVI. 355 

of the Lord's Supper. Our Lord knew well the things 
that were before Him, and graciously chose the last quiet 
evening that he could have before his crucifixion, as an 
occasion for bestowing a parting gift on his church. 
How precious must this ordinance have afterwards ap- 
peared to His disciples, when they remembered the 
events of that night. How mournful is the thought, 
that no ordinance has led to such fierce controversy, and 
been so grievously misunderstood, as the ordinance of the 
Lord's Supper. It ought to have united the church, but 
our sins have made it a cause of division. The thing 
which should have been for our welfare, has been too 
often made an occasion of falling. 

The first thing that demands our notice in these 
verses, is the right meaning of our Lord's ivords, " this is 
my body, this is my blood." 

It is needless to say, that this question has divided 
the visible church of Christ. It has caused volumes of 
controversial theology to be written. But we must not 
shrink from having decided opinions upon it, because 
theologians have disputed and differed. Unsoundness on 
this point has given rise to many deplorable superstitions. 

The plain meaning of our Lord's words appears to be 
this, — " This bread represents my body. This wine re- 
presents my blood." He did not mean that the bread 
He gave to His disciples was really and literally His 
body. He did not mean that the wine He gave to His 
disciples was really and literally His blood. Let us lay 
firm hold on this interpretation. It may be supported 
by several grave reasons.* 

* " Bishop Law has remarked that there is no term in the Hebrew 
language, which expresses to signify or denote ; and that the Greek 



356 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

The conduct of the disciples at the Lord's Supper 
forbids us to believe that the bread they received was 
Christ's body, and the wine they received was Christ's 
blood. They were all Jews, taught from their infancy 
to believe that it was sinful to eat flesh with the blood. 
(Deut. xii. 23 — 25.) Yet there is nothing in the nar- 
rative to shew that they were startled by our Lord's 
words. They evidently perceived no change in the 
bread and wine. 

Our own senses at the present day forbid us to be- 
lieve that there is any change in the bread and wine in 
the Lord's Supper. Our own taste tells us that they are 
really and literally what they appear to be. Things above 
our reason the Bible requires us to believe. But we are 
never bid to believe that which contradicts our senses. 

The true doctrine about our Lord's human nature 
forbids us to believe that the bread in the Lord's Supper 
can be His body, or the wine His blood. The natural 
body of Christ cannot be at one time in more places than 
one. — If our Lord's body could sit at table, and at the 
same time be eaten by the disciples, it is perfectly clear 
that it was not a human body like our own. But this 
we must never allow for one moment. It is the glory 
of Christianity that our Kedeemer is perfect man as 
well as perfect God. 

here naturally takes the impress of the Hebrew or Syriac idiom, it is 
being used for it signifies. Hence the similar use of the verb in vari- 
ous passages; "The three branches are three days." G-en. xl. 12. 
" The seven kine are seven years." Gen. xli. 26. " The ten horns 
are ten kings." Dan. vii. 24. "The field is the world." Matt. xiii. 
38. " The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the 
seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches." Rev. 
L 20. Watson on Matthew, p. 386. 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XXVI. 357 

Finally, the genius of the language in which our Lord 
spoke at the Lord's Supper, makes it entirely unneces- 
sary to interpret His words literally. The Bible is full 
of expressions of a similar kind, to which no one thinks 
of giving any but a figurative meaning. Our Lord speaks 
of Himself as the " door" and the " vine," and we know 
that he is using emblems and figures, when He so speaks. 
There is therefore no inconsistency in supposing that He 
used figurative language when He appointed the Lord's 
Supper ; and we have the more right to say so, when we 
remember the grave objections which stand in the way 
of a literal view of His words. 

Let us lay up these things in our minds, and not 
forget them. In a day of abounding heresy, it is good 
to be well armed. Ignorant and confused views of the 
meaning of Scripture language, are one great cause of 
religious error. 

The second thing which demands our notice in these 
verses, is the purpose and object for which the LoroVs Sup- 
per was appointed. 

This is a subject again on which great darkness pre- 
vails. The ordinance of the Lord's Supper has been 
regarded as something mysterious and past understand- 
ing. Immense harm has been done to Christianity by 
the vague and high-flown language in which many 
writers have indulged in treating of the sacrament. 
There is certainly nothing to warrant such language in 
the account of its original institution. The more simple 
our views of its purpose, the more Scriptural they are 
likely to be. 

The Lord's Supper is not a sacrifice. There is no 



358 EXPOSITOKY THOUGHTS. 

oblation in it, — no offering up of anything but oui 
prayers, praises, and thanksgivings. From the day that 
Jesus died there needed no more offering for sin. By one 
offering He perfected for ever them that are sanctified. 
(Heb. x. 14.) Priests, altars, and sacrifices, all ceased to 
be necessary, when the Lamb of God offered up Himself. 
Their office came to an end. Their work was done. 

The Lord's Supper has no power to confer benefit on 
those who come to it, if they do not come to it with 
faith. The mere formal act of eating the bread and 
drinking the wine is utterly unprofitable, unless it is 
done with a right heart. It is eminently an ordinance 
for the living soul, not for the dead, — for the converted, 
not for the unconverted. 

The Lord's Supper was ordained for a continual re- 
membrance of the sacrifice of Christ's death, until He 
comes again. The benefits it confers, are spiritual, not 
physical. Its effects mast be looked for in our inward 
man. It was intended to remind us, by the visible, 
tangible emblems of bread and wine, that the offering of 
Christ's body and blood for us on the cross, is the only 
atonement for sin, and the life of a believer's soul. It was 
meant to help our poor weak faith to closer fellowship 
with our crucified Saviour, and to assist us in spiritually 
feeding on Christ's body and blood. It is an ordinance 
for redeemed sinners, and not for unfallen angels. By 
receiving it we publicly declare our sense of guilt, and 
need of a Saviour, — our trust in Jesus, and our love to 
Him, — our desire to live upon Him, and our hope to live 
with Him. Using it in this spirit, we shall find our 
repentance deepened, our faith increased, our hope 



359 

brightened, and our love enlarged, — our besetting sins 
weakened, and our graces strengthened. It will draw 
us nearer to Christ. 

Let us bear these things in mind. They need to be 
remembered in these latter days. There is nothing in 
our religion which we are so ready to pervert and mis- 
understand as those parts which approach our senses. 
Whatever we can touch with our hand, and see with our 
eyes, we are apt to exalt into an idol, or to expect good 
from it as a mere charm. Let us especially beware of 
this tendency in the matter of the Lord's Supper. 
Above all, " let us take heed/' in the words of the 
Homily, " lest of the memory it be made a sacrifice." 

The last thing which deserves a brief notice in this 
passage, is the character of the first communicants. It is 
a point full of comfort and instruction. 

The little company to which the bread and wine were 
first administered by our Lord, was composed of the 
apostles, whom He had chosen to accompany Him during 
His earthly ministry. They were poor and unlearned 
men, who loved Christ, but were weak alike in faith and 
knowledge. They knew but little of the full meaning of 
their Master's sayings and doings, They knew but little of 
the frailty of their own hearts. They thought they were 
ready to die with Jesus, and yet that very night they all for- 
sook Him and fled. All this our Lord knew perfectly well. 
The state of their hearts was not hid from Him. And yet 
He did not keep back from them the Lord's Supper. 

There is some tiring very teaching in this circumstance. 
It shows us plainly that we must not make great know- 
ledge, and great strength of grace, an indispensable 



360 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

qualification for communicants. A man may know but 
little, and be no better than a child in spiritual strength, 
but he is not on that account to be excluded from the 
Lord's table. — Does he really feel his sins ? Does he really 
love Christ ? Does he really desire to serve Him ? If this 
be so, we ought to encourage and receive him. Doubtless 
we must do all we can to exclude unworthy communicants. 
No graceless person ought to come to the Lord's Supper. 
But we must take heed that we do not reject those whom 
Christ has not rejected. There is no wisdom in being 
more strict than our Lord and His apostles. 

Let us leave the passage with serious self-inquiry as to 
our own conduct with respect to the Lord's Supper. Do 
we turn away from it, when it is administered ? If so, 
how can we justify our conduct ?— It will not do to say 
it is not a necessary ordinance. To say so is to pour 
contempt on Christ Himself, and declare that we do not 
obey Him. — It will not do to say that we feel unworthy 
to come to the Lord's table. To say so is to declare 
that we are unfit to die, and unprepared to meet God. 
These are solemn considerations. All non-communicants 
should ponder them well. 

Are we in the habit of coming to the Lord's table ? 
If so, in what frame of mind do we come ? Do we draw 
near intelligently, humbly, and with faith ? Do we 
understand what we are about ? Do we really feel our 
sinfulness and need of Christ ? Do we really desire to 
live a Christian life, as well as profess the Christian faith ? 
Happy is that soul who can give a satisfactory answer to 
these questions. Let him go forward, and persevere. 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XXVI. 



361 



MATTHEW XXVI. 36-46. 



36 Then cometh Jesus with them 
unto a place called Gethsemane, and 
Baith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, 
while I go and pray yonder. 

37 And he took with him Peter and 
the two sons of Zebedee, and began 
to be sorrowful and very heavy. 

38 Then saith he unto them, My 
soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto 
death : tarry ye here, and watch with 
me. 

39 And he went a little farther, and 
fell on his face, and prayed, saying, 
O my Father, if it be possible, let this 
cup pass from me : nevertheless not 
as I Mil, but as thou wilt. 

40 And he cometh unto the disciples, 
and findeth them asleep, and saith 
unto Peter, What, could ye not watch 
with me one hour ? 

41 Watch and pray, that ye enter 



not into temptation : the spirit indeed 
is willing, but the flesh is weak. 
_ 42 He went away again the second 
time, and prayed, saying, my Fa- 
ther, if this cup may not pass away 
from me, except I drink it, thy will 
be done. 

43 And he came and found them 
asleep again ; for their eyes were 
heavy. 

44 And he left them, and went away 
again, and prayed the third time, say- 
ing the same words. 

45 Then he cometh to his disciples, 
and saith unto them, Sleep on now, 
and take your rest ; behold, the hour 
is at hand, and the Son of man is be- 
trayed into the hands of sinners. 

46 Eise, let us be going ; behold, he 
is at hand that doth betray me. 



The verses we have now read, describe what is commonly 
called Christ's agony at Grethsemane. It is a passage 
which undoubtedly contains deep and mysterious things. 
We ought to read it with reverence and wonder, for 
there is much in it which we cannot fully comprehend. 

Why do we find our Lord so " sorrowful and very 
heavy/' as he is here described ? What are we to make 
of His words, " my soul is exceeding sorrowful, even 
unto death ?" Why do we see Him going apart from 
His disciples, and falling on His face, and crying to His 
Father with strong cries, and thrice-repeated prayer ? 
Wby is the Almighty Son of God, who had worked so 
many miracles, so heavy and disquieted ? Why is Jesus, 
who came into the world to die, so like one ready to faint 
at the approach of death ? Why is all this ? 

There is but one reasonable answer to these questions. 
The weight that pressed down our Lord's soul, was not 
the fear of death, and its pains. Thousands have en- 
dured the most agonizing sufferings of body, and died 

16 



362 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

without a groan, and so, no doubt, might our Lord. 
But the real weight that bowed down the heart of Jesus, 
was the weight of the sin of the world, which seems 
to have now pressed down upon Him with peculiar force. 
It was the burden of our guilt imputed to Him, which 
was now laid on Him, as on the head of the scape goat. 
How great that burden must have been, no heart of man 
can conceive. It is known only to God. Well may the 
G-reek Litany speak of the " unknown sufferings of 
Christ." The words of Scott on this subject are probably 
correct : — "Christ at this time endured as much misery, 
of the same kind with that of condemned spirits, as could 
possibly consist with a pure conscience, perfect love of 
God and man, and an assured confidence of a glorious 
event/'* 

* I believe that the view maintained in this exposition, is the only 
reasonable solution that can be given of our Lord's agony. How any 
Socinian, or any divine who denies the imputation of man's sin to 
Christ, and the vicarious nature of Christ's sufferings, can account 
satisfactorily for the agony, I am totally at a loss to conceive. — Upon 
the principle of the Socinian, who utterly denies the doctrine of atone- 
ment, and says that our Lord was only a man, and not God, He was 
one who showed less firmness in suffering than many men have 
shown. — Upon the principle of some modern divines, who say that 
our Lord's death was not a propitiation and expiation for sin, but only 
a great example of self-sacrifice, the intense agony of body and mind 
here described is equally unaccountable. — Both views appear to me 
alike dishonoring to our Lord Jesus Christ, and utterly unscriptural 
and unsatisfactory. I believe the agony in the garden to be a knot 
that nothing can untie, but the old doctrine of our sin being really 
imputed to Christ, and Christ being made sin and a curse for us. 

There are deep things in this passage of Scripture, containing the 
account of the agony, which T purposely leave untouched. They are 
too deep for man's line to fathom. The extent to which Satan was 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XXVI. 363 

But however mysterious this part of our Lord's history 
may seem to us, we must not fail to observe the precious 
lessons of practical instruction, which it contains. Let 
us now see what those lessons are. 

Let us learn, in the first place, that prayer is the best 
practical remedy that we can use in time of trouble. We 
see that Christ Himself prayed, when His soul was sor- 
rowful. All true Christians ought to do the same. 

Trouble is a cup that all must drink in this world of 
sin. We are " born to trouble as the sparks fly upward/' 
(Job v. 7.) We cannot avoid it. Of all creatures, none is 
so vulnerable as man. Our bodies, our minds, our fami- 
lies, our business, our friends, are all so many doors 
through which trial will come in. The holiest saints can 
claim no exemption from it. lake their Master, they 
are often " men of sorrow." 

But what is the first thing to be done in time of 
trouble ? We must pray. — Like Job, we must fall down 
and worship. (Job i. 20.) Like Hezekiah, we must spread 
our matters before the Lord. (2 Kings xix. 14.) The first 
personwemustturntofor help, must be our God. We must 
tell our Father in heaven all our sorrow. We must believe 
confidently that nothing is too trivial or minute to be laid 
before Him, so long as we do it with entire submission to 
His will. It is the mark of faith to keep nothing back 
from our best Friend. So doing, we may be sure we shall 
allowed to tempt our Lord in this hour, — the degree of suffering, both 
mental and bodily, which an entirely sinless person, like our Lord 
would endure in bearing the sin of all mankind, — the manner in 
which the human and divine wills both operated in our Lord's expe- 
rience, since He was at all times as really man as God, — all these are 
points which I prefer to leave alone. It is easy on such questions to 
"darken counsel by words without knowledge." 



364 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

have an answer. "If it be possible/' and the thing we 
ask is for God's glory, it shall be done. The thorn in 
the flesh shall either be removed, or grace to endure it 
will be given to us, as it was to St. Paul. (2 Cor. xii. 9.) 
May we all store up this lesson against the day of need. 
It is a true saying, that " prayers are the leeches of care." 

Let us learn, in the second place, that entire submission 
of will to the will of God should be one of our chief aims 
in this world. The words of our Lord are a beautiful 
example of the spirit that we should follow after in this 
matter. He says, " Not as I will, but as thou wilt." 
He says again, " Thy will be done." 

A will unsanctified arid uncontrolled, is one great 
cause of unhappiness in life. It may be seen in little 
infants. It is born with us. We all like our own way. 
We wish and want many things, and forget that we 
are entirely ignorant what is for our good, and unfit 
to choose for ourselves. Happy is he who has learned to 
have no wishes, and in every state to be content. Lt is 
a lesson which we are slow to learn, and like St. Paul, 
we must learn it not in the school of mortal man, but of 
Christ. (Phil. iv. 11.) 

Would we know whether we are born again, and 
growing in grace ? Let us see how it is with us in the 
matter of our wills. Can we bear disappointment ? 
Can we put up patiently with unexpected trials and 
vexations ? Can we see our pet plans, and darling 
schemes crossed without murmuring and complaint ? 
Can we sit still, and suffer calmly, as well as go up and 
down and work actively ? These are the things that 
prove whether we have the mind of Christ. It ought 
never to be forgotten, that warm feelings and joyful 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XXVI. 

frames are not the truest evidences of grace. A morti- 
fied will is a far more valuable possession. Even our 
Lord Himself did not always rejoice ; but He could 
always say, " Thy will be done." 

Let us learn, in the last place, that there is great 
weakness, even in true disciples of Christ, and that they 
have need to watch and pray against it. We see Peter, 
James, and John, those three chosen apostles, sleeping 
when they ought to have been watching and praying. 
And we find our Lord addressing them in these solemn 
words, " Watch and pray, that ye enter not into tempta- 
tion : the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." 

There is a doable nature in all believers. Converted, 
renewed, sanctified as they are, they still carry about 
with them a mass of indwelling corruption, a body of sin. 
St. Paul speaks of this when he says, " I find a law, 
that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. 
For I delight in the law of Grod after the inward man. 
But I see another law in my members, warring against 
the law of my mind." (Rom. vii. 21 — 23.) The ex- 
perience of all true Christians in every age confirms this. 
They find within, two contrary principles, and a con- 
tinual strife between the two. To these two principles 
our Lord alludes when He addresses His half-awakened 
disciples. He calls the one flesh and the other spirit. 
He says, " the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." 

But does our Lord excuse this weakness of His dis- 
ciples ? Be it far from us to think so. Those who draw 
this conclusion mistake His meaning. He uses that 
very weakness as an argument for watchfulness and 
prayer. He teaches us that the very fact that we are 



366 



EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 



encompassed with infirmity, should stir us up contin- 
ually to " watch and pray." 

If we know anything of true religion, let us never 
forget this lesson. If we desire to walk with God com- 
fortably, and not fall, like David or Peter, let us never 
forget to watch and pray. Let us live like men on 
enemy's ground, and be always on our guard. We cannot 
walk too carefully. We cannot be too jealous over our 
souls. The world is very ensnaring. The devil is very 
busy. Let our Lord's words ring in our ears daily like 
a trumpet. Our spirits may sometimes be very willing. 
But our flesh is always very weak. Then let us always 
watch and always pray. 



MATTHEW XXVI. 47—56. 



47 And while he yet spake, lo, 
Judas, one of the twelve, came, and 
with him a great multitude with 
swords and staves, from the Chief 
Priests and elders of the people. 

48 Now he that betrayed him gave 
them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I 
shall kiss, that same is he : hold him 
fast. 

49 And forthwith he came to Jesus, 
and said, Hail, master; and kissed 
him. 

50 And Jesus said unto him, Friend, 
wherefore art thou come ? Then came 
they, and laid hands on Jesus, and 
took him. 

51 And, hehold,.one of them which 
were with Jesus stretched out Ms 
hand, and drew his sword, and struck j 
a servant of the High Priest's, and ! 
smote off his ear. 



52 Then said Jesus unto him. Put 
up again thy sword into his place : 
for all they that take the sword shall 
perish with the sword. 

53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now 
pray to my Father, and he shall pre- 
sently give me more than twelve 
legions of angels ? 

54 But how then shall the Scrip- 
tures be fulfilled, that thus it must 
be? 

55 In that same hour said Jesus to 
the multitudes, Are ye come out as 
against a thief with swords and staves 
for to take me ? I sat daily with you 
teaching in the temple, and ye laid 
no hold on me. 

56 But all this was done, that the 
Scriptures of the prophets might be 
fulfilled. Then all the disciples for- 
sook him, and fled. 



We see in these verses the cup of our Lord Jesus Christ's 
sufferings beginning to be filled. We see Him betrayed 
by one of His disciples, forsaken by the rest, and taken 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XXVI. 367 

prisoner by His deadly enemies. Never surely was there 
sorrow like His sorrow ! Never may we forget, as we 
read this part of the Bible, that our sins were the cause 
of these sorrows ! Jesus was " delivered for our offences." 
(Rom. iv. 25.) 

Let us notice, for one thing, in these verses, what 
gracious condescension marked our Lord's intercourse with 
His disciples. 

We have this point proved by a deeply touching cir- 
cumstance at the moment of our Lord's betrayal. When 
Judas Iscariot undertook to guide the multitude to the 
place where his Master was, he gave them a sign by 
which they might distinguish Jesus in the dim moonlight 
from his disciples. He said, " Whomsoever I shall kiss, 
that same is he." And so, when he came to Jesus, he 
said, " Hail ! master, and kissed him." That simple 
fact reveals the affectionate terms on which the disciples 
associated with our Lord. It is an universal custom in 
Eastern countries, when friend meets friend, to salute one 
another with a kiss. (Exod. xviii. 7 ; 1 Sam. xx. 41.) It 
would seem therefore, that when Judas kissed our Lord, 
he only did that which all the apostles were accustomed 
to do, when they met their Master after an absence. 

Let us draw comfort from this little circumstance for 
our own souls. Our Lord Jesus Christ is a most gracious 
and condescending Saviour. He is not an "austere man," 
repelling sinners, and keeping them at a distance. He 
is not a being so different from us in nature, that we 
must regard Him with awe rather than affection. He 
would have us rather regard Him as an elder Brother, 
and a beloved Friend. His heart in heaven is still the 



&68 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

same that it was upon earth. He is ever meek, merciful, 
and condescending to men of low estate. Let us trust 
Him and not be afraid. 

Let us notice for another thing, how our Lord condemns 
those icho think to use carnal iveapons in defence of Him 
and His cause. He reproves one of His disciples for 
striking a servant of the high priest. He bids him 
" put up his sword into his place." And he adds a solemn 
declaration of perpetual significance, " all they that take 
the sword shall perish by the sword/* 

The sword has a lawful office of its own. It may be 
used righteously in the defence of nations against oppres- 
sion. It may become positively necessary to use it, to 
prevent confusion, plunder, and rapine upon earth. But 
the sword is not to be used in the propagation and main- 
tenance of the Gospel. Christianity is not to be enforced 
by bloodshed, and belief in it extorted by force. Happy 
would it have been for the Church if this sentence had 
been more frequently remembered 1 There are few 
countries in Christendom, where the mistake has not 
been made of attempting to change men's religious 
opinions by compulsion, penalties, imprisonment, and 
death. And with what effect ? The pages of history 
supply an answer. No wars have been so bloody as those 
which have arisen out of the collision of religious opinions. 
Often, mournfully often, the very men who have beeu 
most forward to promote those wars, have themselves been 
slain. May we never forget this ! The weapons of the 
Christian warfare are not carnal, but spiritual. (2 Cor. 
x. 4.) 

Let us notice for another thing, how our Lord submitted 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XXVI. 369 

to be made a prisoner of His own free will. He was not 
taken captive because lie could not escape. It would 
have been easy for Him to scatter His enemies to the 
winds, if he had thought fit. " Thinkest thou/' He says 
to a disciple, " that I cannot pray to my Father, and he 
shall presently give me more than twelve legions of 
angels ? But how then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled, 
that thus it must be ?" 

We see in those words the secret of His voluntary 
submission to His foes. He came on purpose to fulfil the 
types and promises of Old Testament Scriptures, and by 
fulfilling them to provide salvation for the world. He 
came intentionally to be the true Lamb of G-od, the 
Passover Lamb. He came to be the Scape-goat on 
whom the iniquities of the people were to be laid. His 
heart was set on accomplishing this great work. It 
could not be done without the " hiding of his power" for 
a time. To do it he became a willing sufferer. He was 
taken, tried, condemned, and crucified entirely of His 
own free will. 

Let us observe this. There is much encouragement 
in it. The willing sufferer will surely be a willing 
Saviour. The almighty Son of God, who allowed men 
to bind Him and lead Him away captive, when He might 
have prevented them with a word, must surely be full of 
readiness to save the souls that flee to Him. Once more 
then let us learn to trust Him, and not be afraid. 

Let us notice, in the last place, how little Christians 
know the weakness of their own hearts, until they are tried. 
We have a mournful illustration of this in the conduct 
of our Lord's apostles. The verses we have read con- 

16* 



370 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

elude with the words, " Then all the disciples forsook 
him and fled." They forgot their confident assertions 
made a few hours before. They forgot that they had 
declared their willingness to die with their Master. They 
forgot everything hut the danger that stared them in the 
face. The fear of death overcame them. They " for- 
sook him, and fled/' 

How many professing Christians have done the same ? 
How many, under the influence of excited feelings, have 
promised that they would never be ashamed of Christ ! 
They have come away from the communion table, or the 
striking sermon, or the Christian meeting, full of zeal and 
love, and ready to say to all who caution them against 
backsliding, " Is thy servant a dog that he should do this 
thing ?" And yet in a few clays these feelings have 
cooled down and passed away. A trial has come and 
they have fallen before it. They have forsaken Christ. 

Let us learn from the passage lessons of humiliation 
and self-abasement. Let us resolve by God's grace to 
cultivate a spirit of lowliness, and self-distrust. Let us 
settle it in our minds, that there is nothing so bad that 
the best of us may not do it, unless he watches, prays, 
and is held up by the grace of G-od. And let it be one 
of our daily prayers, " Hold thou me up, and I shall be 
safe." (Psalm cxix. 17.) 



MATTHEW XXVI. 57—68. 



57 And they that had laid hold on 
Jesus led Mm away to Caiaphas the 
High Priest, where the Scribes and 
the elders were assembled. 

58 But Peter followed him afar off 



unto the High Priest's palace, and 
went in, and sat with the servants, to 
see the end. 

59 Now the Chief Priests, and el- 
ders, and all the council, sought false 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XXVI. 371 



witness against Jesus, to put hitn to 
death ; 

60 But found none : yea, though 
many false witnesses came, yet found 
they none. At the last came two false 
witnesses, 

61 Ana said, This fellow said, I am 
able to destroy the temple of God, and 
to build it in three days. 

62 And the High Pries*t arose, and 
said unto him. Answerest thou noth- 
ing ? what is it which these witness 
against thee ? 

63 But Jesus held his peace. And 



64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast 
said : nevertheless I say unto you, 
Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man 
sitting on the right hand of power, 
and coming in the clouds of hea- 
ven. 

65 Then the High Priest rent his 
clothes, saying, He hath spoken blas- 
phemy ; what further need have we 
of witnesses ? behold, now ye have 
heard his blasphemy. 

66 What think ye? They answered 
and said, He is guilty of death. 

67 Then did they spit in his face, 



the High Priest answered and said! and buffeted him; and others smote 
unto him, I adjure thee by the living him with the palms of their hands, 
God, that thou tell us whether thou 68 Saying, Prophesy unto us, thou 
be the Christ, the Son of God. Christ, Who is he that smote thee ? 



We read in those verses how our Lord Jesus Christ was 
brought before Caiaphas the high priest, and solemnly 
pronounced guilty. It was fitting that it should be so. 
The great day of atonement was come. The wondrous 
type of the scape-goat was about to be completely ful- 
filled. It was only suitable that the Jewish high priest 
should do his part, and declare sin to be upon the head of 
the victim, before he was led forth to be crucified. May 
we ponder these things and understand them. There 
was a deep meaning in every step of our Lord's passion. 

Let us observe in these verses, that the chief priests were 
the principal agents in bringing about our Lord's death. 
It was not so much the Jewish people, we must remem- 
ber, who pushed forward this wicked deed, as Caiaphas 
and his companions, the chief priests. 

This is an instructive fact, and deserves notice. It is 
a clear proof that high ecclesiastical office exempts no 
man from gross errors in doctrine, and tremendous sins 
in practice. The Jewish priests could trace up their 
pedigree to Aaron, and were his lineal successors. Their 



372 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 






office was one of peculiar sanctity, and entailed peculiar 
responsibilities. And yet these very men were the mur- 
derers of Christ ! 

Let us beware of regarding any minister of religion as 
infallible. His orders, however regularly conferred, are 
no guarantee that he may not lead us astray, and even 
ruin our souls. The teaching and conduct of all minis- 
ters must be tried by the Word of God. They are to be 
followed so long as they follow the Bible, but no longer. 
The maxim laid down in Isaiah must be our guide : 
" To the law and the testimony : if they speak not ac- 
cording to this word, it is because there is no light in 
them." (Isai. viii. 20.) 

Let us observe, in the second place, how fully our 
Lord declared to the, Jewish council His own MessioJiship, 
and His future corning in glory. 

The unconverted Jew can never tell us at the present 
day, that his forefathers were left in ignorance that Jesus 
was the Messiah. Our Lord's answer to the solemn ad- 
juration of the high priest is a sufficient reply. He 
tells the council plainly that He is " the Christ, the Son 
of G-od." He goes on to warn them that though He had 
not yet appeared in glory, as they expected Messias 
would have done, a day WT>uld come when he would do 
so. " Hereafter ye shall see the Son of Man sitting on 
the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of 
heaven." They would yet see that very Jesus of Naza- 
reth, whom they had arraigned at their bar, appear in 
all majesty as King of kings. (Rev. i. 7.) 

It is a striking fact which we should not fail to no- 
tice, that almost the last word spoken by our Lord to 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XXVI. 373 

the Jews, was a warning prediction about His own second 
advent. He tells them plainly that they would yet see 
Hioa in glory. No doubt he referred to the seventh 
chapter of Daniel, in the language that he used. But 
He spoke to deaf ears. Unbelief, prejudice, self-right- 
eousness covered them like a thick cloud. Never was 
there such an instance of spiritual blindness. Well 
may the Church, of England litany contain the prayer, 
" From all blindness, — and from hardness of heart, Good 
Lord deliver us." 

Let us observe, in the last place, how much our Lord 
endured before the council, from false witness and mockery. 

Falsehood and ridicule are old and favorite weapons 
of the devil. " He is a liar, and the father of it." (John 
viii. 44.) All through our Lord's earthly ministry we 
see these weapons continually employed against Him. 
He was called a glutton, a winebibber, and a friend of 
publicans and sinners. He was held up to contempt as 
a Samaritan. The closing scene of His life was only in 
keeping with all the past tenor of it. Satan stirred up 
his enemies to add insult to injury. No sooner was He 
pronounced guilty, than every sort of mean indignity 
was heaped upon Him. " They spit in his face, and 
buffeted him." " They smote him with the palms of 
their hands." They said, mockingly, " Prophesy unto us, 
thou Christ, who is he that smote thee ?" 

How wonderful and strange it all sounds ! How won- 
derful that the Holy Son of God should have voluntarily 
submitted to such indignities, to redeem such miserable 
sinners as we are ! How wonderful, not least, that every 
tittle of these insults was foretold seven hundred vears 



374 



EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 



before they were inflicted ! Seven hundred years before, 
Isaiah had written down the words, " I hid not my face 
from shame and spitting." (Isai. 1. 6.) 

Let us draw from the passage one practical conclusion. 
Let it never surprise us, if we have to endure mockery, 
and ridicule, and false reports, because we belong to 
Christ. The disciple is not greater than His Master, nor 
the servant than His Lord. If lies and insults were 
heaped upon our Saviour, we need not wonder if the 
same weapons are constantly used against His people. 
It is one of Satan's great devices to blacken the charac- 
ters of godly men, and bring them into contempt. The 
lives of Luther, Cranmer, Calvin, and Wesley supply 
abundant examples of this. If we are ever called upon 
to suffer in this way, let us bear it patiently. We drink 
the same cup that was drunk by our beloved Lord. But 
there is one great difference. At the worst, we only drink 
a few bitter drops. He drank the cup to the very dregs. 



MATTHEW XXVI. 69—75. 



69 Now Peter sat without in the 
palace : and a damsel came unto him, 
saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of 
Galilee. 

70 But he denied before them all, 
saying, I know not what thou sayest. 

71 And when he was gone out into 
the porch, auother maid saw him, and 
said unto them that were there, This 
fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth. 

72 And again he denied with an 
oath, I do not know the man. 



73 And after a while came unto Mm 
they that stood by, and said to Peter, 
Surely thou also art one of them ; for 
thy speech bewrayeth thee. 

74 Then began he to curse and to 
swear, saying, I know not the mau. 
And immediately the cock crew. 

75 And Peter remembered the word 
of Jesus, which said unto him, Before 
the cock crow, thou shalt deny me 
thrice. And he went out, and wept 
bitterly. 



These verses relate a remarkable and deeply instructive 
event the apostle Peter's denial of Christ. It is one of 
those events, which indirectly prove the truth of the Bible. 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XXVI. 375 

If the Gospel had been a mere invention of man, we 
should never have been told that one of its principal 
preachers was once so weak and erring, as to deny his 
Master. 

The first thing that demands our notice, is the full na- 
ture of the sin of which Peter was guilty. 

It was a great sin. We see a man, who had followed 
Christ for three years, and been forward in professing 
faith and love towards Him, — a man who had received 
boundless mercies, and loving-kindness, and been treated 
by Christ as a familiar friend, — we see this man denying 
three times that he knows Jesus ! — This was bad. — It 
was sin committed under circumstances of great aggra- 
vation. Peter had been warned plainly of his danger, 
and had heard the warning. He had just been receiving 
the bread and wine at our Lord's hand, and declaring 
loudly that though he died with Him, he would not 
deny Him ! — This also was bad. — It was a sin committed 
under apparently small provocation. Two weak women 
make the remark that he was with Jesus. They that 
stood by say, " Surely thou art one of them/' No threat 
seems to have been used. No violence seems to have 
been done. But it was enough to overthrow Peter's 
faith. He denies before all. He denies with an oath. He 
curses and swears. — Truly it is a humbling picture ! 

Let us mark this history, and store it up in our minds. 
It teaches us plainly that the best of saints are only men, 
and men encompassed with many infirmities. A man 
may be converted to God, have faith, and hope, and love 
towards Christ, and yet be overtaken in a fault, and 
have awful falls. It shews us the necessity of humility. 



376 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS, 

So long as we are in the body we are in danger. The 
flesh is weak, and the devil is active. We must never 
think, " I cannot fall." It points out to us the duty of 
charity towards erring saints. We must not set down 
men as graceless reprobates, because they occasionally 
stumble and err. We must remember Peter, and " re- 
store them in the spirit of meekness." (Gal. vi. 1.) 

The second thing that demands our notice, is the series 
of steps by which Peter iucls led to deny his Lord. 

These steps are mercifully recorded for our learning. 
The Spirit of God has taken care to have them written 
down for the perpetual benefit of the Church of Christ. 
Let us trace them out one by one. 

The first step to Peter's fall, was self-confidence. He 
said, u though all men should be offended, yet will I 
never be offended." — The second step was indolence. 
His Master told him to watch and pray. Instead of 
doing so, he slept. — The third step was cowardly com- 
promising. Instead of keeping close to his Master, he 
first forsook him, and then "followed him afar off." — 
The last step was needless venturing into evil company. 
He went into the priest's palace, and " sat with the ser- 
vants," like one of themselves.' — And then came the final 
fall, — the cursing, the swearing, and the three-fold de- 
nial. Startling as it appears, his heart had been pre- 
paring for it. It was the fruit of seeds which he himself 
had sown. " He ate the fruit of his own ways." 

Let us remember this part of Peter's history. It is 
deeply instructive to all who profess and call themselves 
Christians. Great illnesses seldom attack the body, with- 
out a previous train of premonitory symptoms. Great 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XXVI, 377 

falls seldom happen to a saint, without a previous course 
of secret backsliding. The church and the world are some- 
times shocked by the sudden misconduct of some great 
professor of religion. Believers are discouraged and 
stumbled by it. The enemies of God rejoice and blas- 
pheme. But if the truth could be known, the explanation 
of such cases would generally be found to have been pri- 
vate departure from God. Men fall in private, long 
before they fall in public. The tree falls with a great 
crash, but the secret decay which accounts for it, is often 
not discovered till it is down on the ground. 

The last thing that demands our notice, is the sorrow 
which Peter's sin brought upon him. We read at the end 
of the chapter, " He went out and wept bitterly/' 

These words deserve more attention than they gene- 
rally receive. Thousands have read the history of Peter's 
sin, who have thought little of Peter's tears, and Peter's 
repentance. May we have an eye to see, and a heart to 
understand. 

We see in Peter's tears, the close connection between 
unhappiness and departure from God. It is a merciful 
arrangement of God, that in one sense holiness shall 
always be its own reward. A heavy heart, and an un- 
easy conscience, a clouded hope, and an abundant crop 
of doubts, will always be the consequence of backsliding 
and inconsistency. The words of Solomon describe the 
experience of many an inconsistent child of God, " The 
backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways." 
(Prov. xiv. 14.) Let it be a settled principle in our reli- 
gion, that if we love inward peace, we must walk closely 
with God. 



378 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

We see in Peter's bitter tears, the grand mark of 
difference "between the hypocrite and the true believer. 
When the hypocrite is overtaken by sin, he generally 
falls to rise no more. He has no principle of life 
within him to raise him up. — When the child of God is 
overtaken, he rises again by true repentance, and by the 
grace of Grod amends his life. — Let no man flatter him- 
self that he may sin with impunity, because David com- 
mitted adultery, and because Peter denied his Lord. No 
doubt these holy men sinned greatly. But they did not 
continue in their sin. They repented greatly. They 
mourned over their falls. They loathed and abhorred 
their own wickedness. Well would it be for many, if 
they would imitate them in their repentance, as well as 
in their sins. Too many are acquainted with their fall, 
but not with their recovery. Like David and Peter, 
they have sinned, but they have not, like David and 
Peter, repented. 

The whole passage is full of lessons that ought never 
to be forgotten. Do we profess to have a hope in Christ ? 
Let us mark the weakness of a believer, and the steps that 
lead to a fall. — Have we unhappily backslidden, and left 
our first love ? Let us remember that the Saviour of 
Peter still lives. There is mercy for us as well as for 
him. But we must repent, and seek that mercy, if we 
would find it. Let us turn unto G-od, and He will turn 
to us. His compassions fail not. (Lam. iii. 22.) 



MATTHEW XXVII. 1—10. 



1 When the morning was come, all I people took counsel against Jesus to 
the Chief Priests and elders of the | put him to death : 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XXVII. 



879 



2 And when they had bound him, 
they led him away, and delivered him 
to Pontius Pilate the governor. 

3 Then Judas, which had betrayed 
him, when he saw that he was 
condemned, repented himself, and 
brought again the thirty pieces of 
silver to the Chief Priests and elders, 

4 Saying, I have sinned in that I 
have betrayed the innocent blood. 
And they said, What is that to us ? 
see thou to that. 

5 And he cast dowm the pieces of 
silver in the temple, and departed, 
and went and hanged himself. 

6 And the Chief Priests took the 



silver pieces, aud said, It is not lawful 
for to put them into the treasury, be- 
cause it is the price of blood. 

7 And they took counsel, and 
bought with them the potter's field, 
to bury strangers in. 

8 Wherefore that field was called, 
The field of blood, unto this day. 

9 Then was fulfilled that which 
was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, 
saying, And they took the thirty 
pieces of silver, the price of him that 
was valued, Avhom they of the chil- 
dren of Israel did value ; 

10 And gave them for the potter's 
field, as the Lord appointed me. 



The opening of this chapter describes the delivery of our 
Lord Jesus Christ into the hands of the Gentiles. The 
chief priests and elders of the Jews led Him away to 
Pontius Pilate, the Kornan governor. We may see in 
this incident the ringer of God. It was ordered by His 
providence, that Gentiles as well as Jews should be con- 
cerned in the murder of Christ. Ifc was ordered by His 
providence, that the priests should publicly confess that 
the "sceptre had departed from Judah." They were 
unable to put any one to death, without going to the 
Romans. The words of Jacob were therefore fulfilled. 
The Messiah, "Shiloh, had indeed come." (Gen. xlix. 10.) 

The subject that principally occupies the verses we 
have read, is the melancholy end of the false apostle, 
Judas Iscariot. It is a subject full of instruction. Let 
us mark well what it contains. 

We see in the end of Judas a plain proof of our Lord's 
innocence of every charge laid against Him. 

If there was any living witness who could give evi- 
dence against our Lord Jesus Christ, Judas Iscariot was 
the man. A chosen apostle of Jesus, a constant companion 
in all His journeyings, a hearer of all His teaching, 
both in public and private, — he must have known well 



880 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS, 

if our Lord had done any wrong ; either in word or deed. 
A deserter from our Lord's company, a betrayer of Him 
into the hands of His enemies, it was his interest for his 
own character's sake, to prove Jesus guilty. It would 
extenuate and excuse his own conduct, if he could make 
out that His former master was an offender, and an 
impostor. 

Why then did not Judas Iscariot come forward ? Why 
did he not stand forth before the Jewish council, and 
specify his charges, if he had any to make ? Why did 
he not venture to accompany the chief priests to Pilate, 
and prove to the Romans that Jesus was a malefactor ? — 
There is but one answer to these questions. Judas did 
not come forward as a witness, because his conscience 
would not let him. Bad as he was, he knew he could 
prove nothing against Christ. Wicked as he was, he 
knew well that his Master was holy, harmless, innocent, 
blameless, and true. Let this never be forgotten. The 
absence of Judas Iscariot at our Lord's trial, is one 
among many proofs that the Lamb of God was without 
blemish, — a sinless man. 

We see, for another thing, in the end of Judas, that 
there is such a thing as repentance which is too late. We 
are told plainly that " Judas repented himself." We are 
even told that he went to the priests, and said, " I have 
sinned." And yet it is clear that he did not repent unto 
salvation. 

This is a point which deserves special attention. It is 
a common saying, " that it is never too late to repent." 
The saying, no doubt, is true, if repentance be true ; but 
unhappily late repentance is often not genuine. It is 
possible for a man to feel his sins, and be sorry for them, 



MATTHEW, CHAI\ XXVII. 381 

— to be under strong convictions of guilt, and express 
deep remorse, — to be pricked in conscience, and exhibit 
much distress of mind, — and yet,. for all this, not repent 
with his heart. Present danger, or the fear of death, 
may account for all his feelings, and the Holy Ghost may 
have done no work whatever in his soul. 

Let us beware of trusting to a late repentance. " Now 
is the accepted time. To-day is the day of salvation." 
One penitent thief was saved in the hour of death, that 
no man might despair, but only one, that no man might 
presume. Let us put off nothing that concerns our souls, 
and above all not put off repentance, under the vain idea 
that it is a thing in our own power. The words of 
Solomon on this subject are very fearful. He speaks of 
men who " shall call upon God, but he will not answer ; 
who shall seek him early, and not find him." (Prov. i. 28.) 

Let us see, for another thing, in the end of Judas, 
how little comfort ungodliness brings a man at the last. 
We are told that he cast down the thirty pieces of silver 
for which he had sold his Master, in the temple, and went 
away in bitterness of soul. That money was dearly 
earned. It brought him no pleasure, even when he had it.* 
The "treasures of wickedness profit nothing." (Prov. x. 2.) 

* It is a great and undeniable difficulty, that the words quoted as 
having been used by " Jeremy the prophet," are not to be found in 
any writings of Jeremiah that we possess, and that they are found 
in the prophet Zechariah. The following solutions of the difficulty 
have been suggested. 

1. Some think that the prophecy quoted by Matthew was really de- 
livered by Jeremiah, though not written, and only handed down and 
recorded by Zechariah. In favor of this view, we must remember 
that we have a saying of our Lord's at Acts xx. 35, which is not re- 
corded in the Gospels, and a prophecy of Enoch's in Jude. (Jude 14.) 



382 EXPOSITOEY THOUGHTS. 

Sin is, in truth, the hardest of all masters. In its 
service there is plenty of fair promises, but an uttei 
dearth of performance. Its pleasures are but for a 
season. Its wages are sorrow, remorse, self-accusation, 
and too often death. They that sow to the flesh, do 
indeed reap corruption. 

2. Some think that the name of Jeremiah was applied by the Jews 
to all that portion of the Old Testament Scripture containing pro- 
phecies, and that Matthew did not really mean that Jeremy had de- 
livered the prophecy. This is the view of Lightfoot. 

3. Some think that Matthew originally wrote the words " The 
prophet," without quoting the name of any one in particular, and that 
the word "Jeremy" was inserted by an ignorant transcriber. In 
favor of this view, it is fair to say that the Syriac version, one of the 
oldest extant, simply says " the prophet," and omits Jeremy's name. 
The Persian verision also omits it. 

4. Some think that Matthew originally wrote the words " Zecha- 
riah the prophet," and that some ignorant transcriber changed the 
word into Jeremiah. In favor of this view, it must fairly be remem- 
bered that in manuscripts, names were often written short, and that 
IOU, and ZOU, are not very unlike. 

I offer no opinion on these solutions of the difficulty. A question 
of this sort, which has puzzled so many interpreters, is not likely to 
be settled at this period of the world. 

One solution of the difficulty I only mention in order to enter my 
protest against it. That solution was propounded by Augustine, and 
is adopted by many modern divines. It is simply this, that " Matthew 
forgot what he was doing and made a blunder. He quoted from 
memory, and inaccurately. He meant Zechariah and not Jeremiah." 
I can only say that at this rate we must give up the inspiration of 
Scripture altogether ! If writers of the Bible could make blunders 
like this, we never know where we are in quoting a text. To use 
such an argument is putting a sword into the hands of Arians and 
Socinians, which they know well how to use. Once give up the 
verbal inspiration of Scripture and we stand on a quicksand. 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XXVII. 383 

Are we tempted to commit sin ? Let us remember the 
words of Scripture, " Your sin will find you out/' and 
resist the temptation. Let us he sure that sooner or 
later, in this life or in the life to come, in this world or 
in the judgment-day, sin and the sinner will meet face 
to face, and have a hitter reckoning. Let us be sure 
that of all trades sin is the most unprofitable. Judas, 
Achan, Gehazi, Ananias and Sapphira, all found it so 
to their cost. Well might St. Paul say, " What fruit 
had ye in those things whereof ye are now ashamed ?" 
(Rom. vi. 21.) 

Finally, let us see in the case of Judas, to what a mis- 
erable end a man may come, if he has great privileges, and 
does not use them rightly. We are told that this unhappy 
man " departed and went and hanged himself." What 
an awful death to die ! An apostle of Christ, a former 
preacher of the Gospel, a companion of Peter and John, 
commits suicide, and rushes into God's presence unpre- 
pared and unforgiven. 

Let us never forget that no sinners are so sinful as 
sinners against light and knowledge. None are so pro- 
voking to God. None, if we look at Scripture, have been 
so often removed from this world by sudden and fearful 
visitations. Let us remember Lot's wife, Pharaoh, 
Korah, Da than, and Abiram, and Saul king of Israel. 
They are all cases in point. It is a solemn saying of 
Bunyan, " that none fall so deep into the pit, as those 
who fall backward." It is written in Proverbs, " he that 
being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly 
be destroyed, and that without remedy." (Pro v. xxix. 1.) 
May we all strive to live up to our light. There is such 



384 



EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 



a thing as sin against the Holy Ghost. Clear knowledge 
of truth in the head, combined with deliberate love of 
sin in the heart, go a long way towards it. 

And now what is the state of our hearts ? Are we 
ever tempted to rest on our knowledge and profession of 
religion ? Let us remember Judas and beware. — Are 
we disposed to cling to the world, and give money a 
prominent place in our minds ? Again, let us remem- 
ber Judas, and beware. — Are we trifling with any one 
sin, and flattering ourselves we may repent by and bye ? 
Once more, let us remember Judas and beware. — He is 
set up before us as a beacon. Let us look well at him, 
and not make shipwreck. 



MATTHEW XXVII. 11- 



11 And Jesus stood before the gov- 
ernor : and the governor asked him, 
saying, Art thou the King of the 
Jews? And Jesus said unto him, 
Thou sayest. 

12 And when he was accused of the 
Chief Priests and elders, he answered 
nothing. 

13 Then said Pilate unto him, Hear- 
est thou not how many things they 
witness against thee ? 

14 And he answered him to never 
a word ; insomuch that the governor 
marvelled greatly. 

15 Now at that feast the governor 
was wont to release unto the people a 
prisoner, whom they would. 

16 And they had then a notable 
prisonei*, called Barabbas. 

17 Therefore when they were gath- 
ered together, Pilate said unto them, 
Whom will ye that I release unto 
you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is 
called Christ ? 

18 For he knew that for envy they 
had delivered him. 

19 When he was set down on the 
judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, 
saying, Have thou nothing to do with 
that just man; for I have suffered 



many things this day in a dream be- 
cause of him. 

20 But the chief priests and elders 
persuaded the multitude that they 
should ask Barabbas, and destroy 
Jesus. 

21 The governor answered and said 
unto them, Whether of the twain will 
ye that I release unto you? They 
said, Barabbas. 

22 Pilate saith unto them, What 
shall I do then with Jesus which is 
called Christ ? They all say unto him, 
Let him be crucified. 

23 And the governor said, Why, 
what evil hath he done ? But they 
cried out the more, saying, Let him 
be crucified. 

24 W T hen Pilate saw that he could 
prevail nothing, but that rather a tu- 
mult was made, he took water, and 
washed his hands before the multi- 
tude, saying, I am innocent of the 
blood of this just person : see ye to it. 

25 Then answered all the people, 
and said, His blood be on us, and on 
our children. 

26 Then released he Barabbas unto 
them : and when he had scourged Je- 
sus, he delivered him to be crucified 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XXVII. 385 

These verses describe our Lord's appearance before 
Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor. That sight must 
have been wonderful to the angels of God. He who 
will one day judge the world allowed himself to be judged 
and condemned, though " he had done no violence, neither 
was any deceit in his mouth.''' (Isaiah liii. 9.) He from 
whose lips Pilate and Caiaphas will one day receive their 
eternal sentence, suffered silently an unjust sentence to 
be passed upon him. Those silent sufferings fulfilled the 
words of Isaiah, "as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, 
so he openeth not his mouth/' (Isaiah liii. 7.) To those 
silent sufferings believers owe all their peace and hope. — 
Through them they will have boldness in the day of 
judgment, who in themselves would have nothing to say. 

Let us learn from the conduct of Pilate, how pitiful is 
the condition of an unprincipled great man. 

Pilate appears to have been inwardly satisfied that our 
Lord had done nothing worthy of death. We are told 
distinctly, "that he knew that for envy they had deliv- 
ered him." Left to the exercise of his own unbiassed 
judgment, he would probably have dismissed the charges 
against our Lord, and let Him go free. 

But Pilate was governor of a jealous and turbulent 
people. His great desire was to procure favor with them 
and please them. He cared little how much he sinned 
against God and conscience, so long as he had the praise 
of man. Though willing to save our Lord's life, he was 
afraid to do it, if it offended the Jews. And so, after a 
feeble attempt to divert the fury of the people from Jesus 
to Barabbas, — and a feebler attempt to satisfy his own 
conscience, by washing his hands publicly before the 

17 



EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

people, — lie at last condemned one whom he himself called 
" a j us t person." He rejected the strange and mysterious 
warning which his wife sent to him after her dream. He 
stifled the remonstrances of his own conscience. He 
" delivered Jesus to be crucified." 

Behold in this miserable man a lively emblem of many 
a ruler of this world ! How many there are, who know 
well that their public acts are wrong, and yet have not 
the courage to act up to their knowledge. They fear the 
people ! They dread being laughed at 1 They cannot 
bear being unpopular ! Like dead fish, they float with 
the tide. The praise of man is the idol before which 
they bow down, and to that idol they sacrifice conscience, 
inward peace, and an immortal soul. 

Whatever our position in life may be, let us seek to be 
guided by principle, and not by expediency. The praise 
of man is a poor, feeble, uncertain thing. It is here to- 
day, and gone to-morrow. Let us strive to please God, 
and then we may care little who else is pleased. Let us 
fear God, and then there is none else of whom we need 
be afraid. 

Let us learn from the conduct of the Jews described in 
these verses, the desperate wickedness of human nature. 

The behavior of Pilate afforded the chief priests and 
elders an occasion of reconsidering what they were about. 
The difficulties he raised about condemning our Lord, 
gave time for second thoughts. But there were no 
second thoughts in the minds of our Lord's enemies, 
They pressed on their wicked deed. They rejected the 
compromise that Pilate offered. They actually preferred 
having a wretched felon, named Barabbas, set at liberty 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XXVII. 387 

rather than Jesus. They clamored loudly for our Lord's 
crucifixion. And they wound up all by recklessly taking 
on themselves all the guilt of our Lord's death, in words 
of portentous meaning, " His blood be on us and our 
children/' 

And what had our Lord done, that the Jews should 
hate Him so ? He was no robber, or murderer. He 
was no blasphemer of their God, or re viler of their pro- 
phets. He was one whose life was love. He was one who 
" went about doing good, and healing all that were op- 
pressed of the devil." (Acts x. 38.) He was innocent of 
any transgression against the law of God or man. And 
yet the Jews hated Him, and never rested till He was 
slain ! They hated Him, because He told them the 
truth. They hated Him, because He testified of their 
works that they were evil. They hated the light, be- 
cause it made their own darkness visible. In a word, 
they hated Christ, because he was righteous and they 
were wicked, — because He was holy and they were un- 
holy, — because he testified against sin, and they were 
determined to keep their sins and not let them go. 

Let us observe this. There are few things so little 
believed and realized as the corruption of human nature. 
Men fancy that if they saw a perfect person, they would 
love and admire him. They flatter themselves that it is 
the inconsistency of professing Christians which they dis- 
like, and not their religion. They forget that when a really 
perfect man was on earth, in the person of the Son of 
God, He was hated and put to death. That single fact 
goes far to prove the truth of Edwards' remark,—" un- 
converted men would kill God, if they could get at Him." 



388 



EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 



Let us never be surprised at the wickedness there is in 
the world. Let us mourn over it, and labor to make it 
less, but let us never be surprised at its extent. There is 
nothing which the heart of man is not capable of con- 
ceiving, or the hand of man of doing. As long as we live, 
let us mistrust our own hearts. Even when renewed by 
the Spirit, they are still " deceitful above all things and 
desperately wicked/' (Jer. xvii. 9.) 



MATTHEW XXVII. 27—44. 



27 Then the soldiers of the gov- 
ernor took Jesus into the common 
hall, and gathered unto him the whole 
baud of soldiers. 

28 And they stripped him, and put 
on him a scarlet robe. 

29 And when they had platted a 
crown of thorns, they put it upon his 
head, and a reed in bis right hand : 
aud they bowed the knee before him, 
and mocked him, saying, Hail, King 
of the Jews ! 

30 And they spit upon him, and 
took the reed, and smote him on the 
head. 

31 And after that they had mocked 
him, they took the robe off from him, 
and put his own raiment on him, and 
led him away to crucify him. 

32 And as they came out, they 
found a man of Gyrene, Simon by 
name: him they compelled to bear 
his cross. 

33 And when they were come unto 
a place called Golgotha, that is to say, 
a place of a skull, 

34 They gave him vinegar to drink 
mingled with gall : and when he had 
tasted thereof \q would not drink. 

35 And they crucified him, and 
parted his garments, casting lots : 



that it might be fulfilled which was 
spoken by the prophet, They parted 
my garments among them, and upon 
my vesture did they cast lots. 

36 And sitting down they watched 
him there ; 

37 And set up over his head hi3 
accusation written, THIS IS JESUS 
THE KING OF THE JEWS. 

SS Then were there two thieves 
crucified with him, one on the right 
hand, and another on the left. 

39 And they that passed by reviled 
him, wagging their heads, 

40 And saying, Thou that destroy- 
est the temple, and buildest it in three 
days, save thyself. If thou be the Son 
of God, come down from the cross. 

41 Likewise also the Chief Priests 
mocking him, with the Scribes and 
elders, said, 

42 He saved others ; himself he 
cannot save. If he be the King of 
Israel, let him now come down from 
the cross, and we will believe him. 

43 He trusted in God ; let him de- 
liver him now, if he will have him : 
for he said, I am the Son of God. 

44 The thieves also, which were 
crucified with him, cast the same in 
his teeth. 



These verses describe the sufferings of our Lord Jesus 
Christ after his condemnation by Pilate, — His sufferings 
in the hands of the brutal Koman soldiers, and His final 
sufferings on the cross. They form a marvellous record. 



MATTHEW, CHAP, XXVII. 389 

They are marvellous when we remember the sufferer, the 
eternal Son of God ! They are marvellous when we 
remember the persons for whom these sufferings were 
endured. We and our sins were the cause of all this 
sorrow. He " died for our sins." (1 Cor. xv. 3.) 

Let us observe in the first place, the extent and reality 
of our Lord's sufferings. 

The catalogue of all the pains endured by our Lord's 
body, is indeed a fearful one. Seldom has such suffering 
been inflicted on one body in the last few hours of a life. 
The most savage tribes, in their refinement of cruelty, 
could not have heaped more agonizing tortures on an 
enemy than were accumulated on the flesh and bones of 
our beloved Master. Never let it be forgotten that He 
had a real human body, a body exactly like our own, just 
as sensitive, just as vulnerable, jusfc as capable of feeling 
intense pain. And then let us see what that body en- 
dured. 

Our Lord, we must remember, had already passed a 
night without sleep, and endured excessive fatigue. He 
had been taken from G-ethsemane to the Jewish council, 
and from the council to Pilate's judgment hall. He had 
been twice placed on his trial, and twice unjustly con- 
demned. He had been already scourged and beaten 
cruelly with rods. And now, after all this suffering, 
He was delivered up to the Eoman soldiers, a body of 
men no doubt expert in cruelty, and of all people least 
likely to behave with delicacy or compassion. — These 
hard men at once proceeded to work their will. They 
" gathered together the whole band." They stripped our 
Lord of His raiment, and put on Him, in mockery, a 



390 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

scarlet robe. They platted a crown of sharp thorns, and 
in derision placed it on His head. They then bowed the 
knee before Him in mockery, as nothing better than a 
pretended king. They spit upon Him. They smote 
Him on the head. And finally having put His own robe 
on Him, they led Him out of the city, to a place called 
Golgotha, and there crucified Him between two thieves. 

But what was a crucifixion ? Let us try to realize it, 
and understand its misery. The person crucified was 
laid on his back on a piece of timber, with a cross-piece 
nailed to it near one end, — or on the trunk of a tree with 
branching arms, which answered the same purpose. His 
hands were spread out on the cross-piece, and nails driven 
through each of them, fastening them to the wood. His 
feet in like manner were nailed to the upright part of the 
cross. And then, the body having been securely fastened, 
the cross was raised up, and fixed firmly in the ground. 
And there hung the unhappy sufferer till pain and ex- 
haustion brought him to his end, — not dying suddenly, 
for no vital part of him was injured, — but enduring the 
most excruciating agony from his hands and feet, and 
unable to move. Such was the death of the cross. Such 
was the death that Jesus died for us ! For six long hours 
He hung there before a gazing crowd, naked, and bleed- 
ing from head to foot, — His head pierced with thorns, — 
His back lacerated with scourging, — His hands and feet 
torn with nails, — and mocked and reviled by His cruel 
enemies to the very last. 

Let us meditate frequently on these things. Let us often 
read over the story of Christ's cross and passion. Let us 
remember, not least, that all these horrible sufferings 



MATTHEW. CHAP. XXVII. 391 

were borne without a murmur. No word of impatience 
crossed our Lord's lips. In His death, no less than in 
His life, he was perfect. To the very last, Satan found 
nothing in Him. (John xiv. 30.) 

Let us observe, in the second place, that all our Lord 
Jesus Christ's sufferings were vicarious. He suffered not 
for His own sins, but for our's. He was eminently our 
substitute in all His passion. 

This is a truth of the deepest importance. Without 
it the story of our Lord's sufferings, with all its minute 
details, must always seem mysterious and inexplicable. 
It is a truth, however, of which the Scriptures speak fre- 
quently, and that too with no uncertain sound. We are 
told that Christ " bare our sins in His own body on the 
tree,"' — that He " suffered for sin, the just for the un- 
just," — that " He was made sin for us, who knew no 
sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in 
Him," — that " He was made a curse for us," — that " He 
was offered to bear the sins of many," — that " He was 
wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our 
iniquities," — and that " the Lord hath laid on Him the 
iniquity of us all." (1 Peter ii. 22, and iii. 18. 2 Cor. v. 
21. Gal. iii. 13. Heb. ix. 28. Isaiah liii. 5, 6.) May 
we all remember these texts well. They are among the 
foundation stones of the Gospel. 

But we must not be content with a vague general belief, 
that Christ's sufferings on the cross were vicarious. We 
are intended to see this truth in every part of His passion. 
We may follow Him all through, from the bar of Pilate, 
to the minute of His death, and see him at every step as 
our mighty Substitute, our Eepresentative, our Head, our 



392 EXPOSITOKY THOUGHTS. 

Surety, our Proxy, — the Divine Friend who undertook 
to stand in our stead, and by the priceless merit of 
His sufferings, to purchase our redemption. — Was He 
scourged ? It was that " through His stripes we might 
be healed/' — Was he condemned, though innocent ? It 
was that we might be acquitted though guilty. — Did He 
wear a crown of thorns ? It was that we might wear the 
crown of glory. — Was He stripped of His raiment ? It 
was that we might be clothed in everlasting righteousness. 
— Was he mocked and reviled ? It was that we might 
be honored and blessed. — Was He reckoned a malefac- 
tor, and numbered among transgressors ? It was that 
we might be reckoned innocent, and justified from all sin. 
— Was he declared unable to save Himself ? It was 
that He might be able to save others to the uttermost. — 
Did He die at last, and that the most painful and dis- 
graceful of deaths ? It was that we might live for 
evermore, and be exalted to the highest glory, — Let us 
ponder these things well. They are worth remembering. 
The very key to peace is a right apprehension of the 
vicarious sufferings of Christ. 

Let us leave the story of our Lord's passion with 
feelings of deep thankfulness. Our sins are many and 
great. But a great atonement has been made for them. 
There was an infinite merit in all Christ's sufferings. 
They were the sufferings of One who was God as well as 
man. Surely it is meet, right, and our bouaden duty, 
to praise God daily because Christ has died. 

Last, but not least, let us ever learn from the story of 
the passion, to hate sin with a great hatred. Sin was 
the cause of all our Saviour's suffering. Our sins platted 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XXVU. 



893 



the crown of thorns. Our sins drove the nails into His 
hands and feet. On account of our sins His blood was 
shed. Surely the thought of Christ crucified should 
make us loathe all sin. Well says the Homily of the 
Passion, " Let this image of Christ crucified be always 
printed in our hearts. Let it stir us up to the hatred 
of sin, and provoke our minds to the earnest love of 
Almighty God." 



MATTHEW XXVII. 45—56. 



45 Now from the sixth hour there 
was darkness over all the land unto 
the ninth hour. 

46 And ahout the ninth hour Jesus 
cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, 
Eli, lama sahachthani ? that is to say, 
My God, my God, why hast thou for- 
saken me ? 

47 Some of them that stood there, 
when they heard that, said, This man 
calleth for Elias. 

48 And straightway one of them 
ran, and took a spunge, and filled it 
with vinegar, and put it on a reed, 
and gave him to drink. 

49 The rest said, Let he, let us see 
whether Elias will come to save him. 

50 Jesus, when he had cried again 
with a loud voice, yielded up the 
ghost. 

51 And, behold, the veil of the tem- 
ple was rent in twain from the top to 



the bottom ; and the earth did quake, 
and the rocks rent ; 

52 And the graves were opened; 
and many bodies of the saints which 
slept arose, 

_ 53 And came out of the graves after 
his resurrection, and went into the 
holy city, and appeared unto many. 

54 Now when the centurion, and 
they that were with him, watching 
Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those 
things that were done, they feared 
greatly, saying, Truly this was the 
Son of God. 

55 And many women were there 
beholding afar off, which followed 
Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto 
him: 

56 Among which was Mary Mag- 
dalene, and Mary the mother of James 
and Joses, and the mother of Zebe- 
dee's children. 



In these verses we read the conclusion of our Lord Jesus 
Christ's passion. After six hours of agonizing suffering, 
He became obedient even unto death, and " yielded up 
the ghost.' 7 Three points in the narrative demand a 
special notice. To them let us confine our attention. 

Let us observe, in the first place, the remarkable words 
which Jesus uttered shortly before Eis death, " My God, my 
God, why hast thou forsaken me ?" 

17 



394 EXPOSITOEY THOUGHTS. 

There is a deep mystery in these words, which no 
mortal man can fathom. No doubt they were not wrung 
from our Lord by mere bodily pain. Such an explana- 
tion is utterly unsatisfactory, and dishonorable to our 
blessed Saviour. They were meant to express the real 
pressure on his soul of the enormous burden of a world's 
.sins. They were meant to show how truly and literally 
He was our substitute, was made sin, and a curse for 
us, and endured God's righteous anger against a world's 
sin in His own person. At that awful moment, the ini- 
quity of us all was laid upon Him to the uttermost. It 
pleased the Lord to bruise Him, and put Him to grief. 
(Isaiah liii. 10.) He bore our sins. He carried our 
transgressions. Heavy must have been that burden, 
real and literal must have been our Lord's substitution 
for us, when He, the eternal Son of God, could speak of 
Himself as for a time " forsaken." 

Let the expression sink down into our hearts, and not 
be forgotten. We can have no stronger proof of the 
sinfulness of sin, or of the vicarious nature of Christ's 
sufferings, than His cry, " My God, my God, why hast 
thou forsaken me ?" It is a cry that should stir us up to 
hate sin, and encourage us to trust in Christ.* 

* The following quotations deserve notice, and throw light on this 
peculiarly solemn portion of Scripture. 

" Our Lord said this, under a deep sense of His Father's wrath 
unto mankind, in whose stead He now underwent that which was 
due for the sins of the whole world. When He said ' Why hast 
thou forsaken me,' He implied that G-od had for the time withdrawn 
from Him the sense and vision of His comfortable presence. When 
He said, <■ My Gk>d,' He implied the strength of His faith whereby 



MATTHEW, CHAP, XXVII. 395 

Let us observe, in the second place, how much is con- 
tained in the words which describe our Lord's end. We 
are simply told, " He yielded up the ghost/' 

There never was a last breath drawn, of such deep 
import as this. There never was an event on which 
so much depended. The Roman soldiers, and the gaping 
crowd around the cross, saw nothing remarkable. They 
only saw a person dying as others die, with all the usual 
agony and suffering, which attend a crucifixion. But 
they knew nothing of the eternal interests which were 
involved in the whole transaction. 

That death discharged in full the mighty debt which 
sinners owe to God, and threw open the door of life to 
every believer. That death satisfied the righteous claims 
of God's holy law, and enabled God to be just, and yet 
the justifier of the ungodly. That death was no mere 
example of self-sacrifice, but a complete atonement and 
propitiation for man's sin, affecting the condition and 
prospects of all mankind. That death solved the hard 
problem, how God could be perfectly holy, and yet per- 
fectly merciful. It opened to the world a fountain for all sin 
and uncleanness. — It was a complete victory over Satan, 
and spoiled him openly. It finished the transgression, 
made reconciliation for iniquity, and brought in everlast- 
ing righteousness. — It proved the sinfulness of sin, when 
it needed such a sacrifice to atone for it. — It proved the 
He did firmly apprehend the sure and gracious aid of His eternal 
Father." — Bishop Hall. 

"All the waitings and howlings of the damned to all eternity, will 
fall infinitely short of expressing the evil and bitterness of sin with 
such emphasis as these few words, ' My God, my God, why hast 
thou forsaken me ?' " — Jamieson, 



396 EXPOSITOBY THOUGHTS. 

love of Grod to sinners, when He sent His own Son to 
make the atonement. Never, in fact, was there, or could 
there be again, such a death. No wonder that the earth 
quaked, when Jesus died, in our stead, on the accursed 
tree. The solid frame of the world might well tremble 
and be amazed, when the soul of Christ was made an 
offering for sin. (Isaiah liii. 10.) 

Let us observe, in the last place, wit at a remarkable, 
miracle occurred at the hour of our Lord's death, in the 
very midst of the Jewish temple. We are told that et the 
veil of the temple was rent in twain." The curtain 
which separated the holy of holies from the rest of the 
temple, and through which the high priest alone might 
pass, was split from top to bottom. 

Of all the wonderful signs which accompanied our 
Lord's death, none was more significant than this. The 
mid-day darkness for three hours, must needs have been 
a startling event. The earthquake, which rent the rocks, 
must have been a tremendous shock. But there was a 
meaning in the sudden rending of the veil from top to 
bottom, which must have pricked the heart of any intel- 
ligent Jew. The conscience of Caiaphas, the high priest, 
must have been hard indeed, if the tidings of that rent 
veil did not fill him with dismay. 

The rending of the veil proclaimed the termination 
and passing away of the ceremonial law. It was a sign 
that the old dispensation of sacrifices and ordinances 
was no longer needed. Its work was done. Its occu- 
pation was gone, from the moment that Christ died. 
There was no more need of an earthly high priest, and a 
mercy seat, and a sprinkling of blood, and an offering up of 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XXVII. 397 

incense, and a day of atonement. The true High Priest 
had at length appeared. The true Lamb of God had 
been slain. The true mercy seat was at length revealed. 
The figures and shadows were no longer wanted. May 
we all remember this ! To set up an altar, and a sacri- 
fice, and a priesthood now, is to light a candle at noon-day. 

That rending of the veil proclaimed the opening of the 
way of salvation to all mankind. The way into the pres- 
ence of God was unknown to the Gentile, and only seen 
dimly by the Jew, until Christ died. But Christ having 
now offered up a perfect sacrifice, and obtained eternal 
redemption, the darkness and mystery were to pass away. 
All were to be invited now to draw near to God with 
boldness, and approach Him with confidence, by faith in 
Jesus. A door was thrown open, and a way of life set 
before the whole world. May we all remember this ! 
From the time that Jesus died, the w^ay of peace was 
never meant to be shrouded in mystery. There was to 
be no reserve. The Gospel was the revelation of a mys- 
tery, which had been hid from ages and generations. 
To clothe religion now with mystery, is to mistake the 
grand characteristic of Christianity. 

Let us turn from the story of the crucifixion, every 
time we read it, with hearts full of praise. Let us praise 
God for the confidence it gives us, as to the ground of 
our hope of pardon. Our sins may be many and great, 
but the payment made by our Great Substitute far out- 
weighs them all. — Let us praise God for the view it gives 
us of the love of our Father in heaven. He that spared 
not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, will 
surely with Him give us all things. — Not least, let us 



398 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

praise God for the view it gives us of the sympathy of 
Jesus with all His believing people. He can be touched 
with the feeling of our infirmities. He knows what 
suffering is. He is just the Saviour that an infirm body, 
with a weak heart, in an evil world, requires. 



MATTHEW XXVII. 57—66. 



57 When the even was come, there \ Priests and Pharisees carne together 



came a rich man of Ariinathsea, named 
Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' 
disciple : 

58 He went to Pilate, and "begged 
the body of Jesus. Then Pilate com- 
manded the body to be delivered. 

59 And when Joseph had taken the 
body, he wrapped it in a clean linen 
cloth, 

60 And laid it in his own new tomb, 
which he had hewn out in the rock : 
and he rolled a great stone to the door 
of the sepulchre, and departed. 

61 And there was Mary Magdalene, 
and the other Mary, sitting over a- 
gainst the sepulchre. 

62 Now the next day, that followed 
the day of the preparation, the Chief 



unto Pilate, 

63 Saying, Sir, we remember that 
that deceiver said, while he was yet 
alive, After three days I will rise 
again. 

64 Command therefore that the se- 
pulchre be made sure until the third 
day, lest his disciples come by night, 
and steal him away, and say unto the 
people, He is risen from the dead : so 
the last error shall be worse than the 
first. 

65 Pilate said unto them, Ye have 
a watch: go your way, make it assure 
as ye can. 

66 So they went, and made the 
sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and 
setting a watch. 



These verses contain the history of our Lord Jesus 
Christ's burial. There was yet one thing needful, in 
order to make it certain that our Kedeemer accomplished 
that great work of redemption which He undertook. 
That holy body, in which He bore our sins on the cross, 
must actually be laid in the grave, and rise again. His 
resurrection was to be the seal and head-stone of all the 
work. 

The infinite wisdom of God foresaw the objections of 
unbelievers and infidels, and provided against them. — Did 
the Son of God really die ? Did he really rise again ? 
Might there not have been some delusion as to the reality 



MATTHEW, CHAP. XXVIL 399 

of His death ? Might there not have been imposition 
or deception, as to the reality of His resurrection ? — All 
these, and many more objections, would doubtless have 
been raised, if opportunity had been given. But He who 
knows the end from the beginning, prevented the possi- 
bility of such objections being made. By His over-ruling 
providence, He ordered things so that the death and 
burial of Jesus were placed beyond a doubt. — Pilate gives 
consent to His burial. A loving disciple wraps the body 
in linen, and lays it in a new tomb hewn out of a rock, 
" wherein was never man yet laid." The chief priests 
themselves set a guard over the place where His body was 
deposited. Jews and Gentiles, friends and enemies, all 
alike testify to the great fact, that Christ did really and 
actually die, and was laid in a grave. It is a fact that 
can never be questioned. — He was really " bruised/' He 
really " suffered." He really " died." He was really 
"buried." Let us mark this well. It deserves recollection. 

Let us learn, for one thing, from these verses, that our 
Lord Jesus Christ has friends of whom little is known. 

We cannot have a more striking example of this truth, 
than we see in the passage now before us. A man named 
Joseph of Arimathasa comes forward, when our Lord was 
dead, and asks permission to bury Him. We have never 
heard of this man at any former period of our Lord's 
earthly ministry. We never hear of him again. We 
know nothing, but that he was a disciple who loved 
Christ, and did Him honor. At the time when the apos- 
tles had forsaken our Lord, — at a time when it was a 
dangerous thing to confess regard for Him, — at a time 
when there seemed to be no earthly advantage to be 



400 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

gained by confessiDg His discipleship, — at such a time 
as this Joseph comes boldly forward, and begs the body 
of Jesus, and lays it in his own new tomb. 

This fact is full of comfort and encouragement. It 
shews us that there are some quiet, retiring souls on earth, 
who know the Lord, and the Lord knows them, and yet 
they are little known by the church. It shews us that 
there are diversities of gifts among Christ's people. 
There are some who glorify Christ passively, and some 
who glorify Him actively. There are some whose voca- 
tion it is to build the Church, and fill a public place, 
and there are some who only come forward, like Joseph, 
in times of special need. But each and all are led by 
one Spirit, and each and all glorify G-od in their several 
ways. 

Let these things teach us to be more hopeful. Let us 
believe that many shall yet come from the east and west, 
and sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the 
kingdom of heaven. There may be in some dark corners 
of Christendom many, who, like Simeon, and Anna, and 
Joseph of ArimathaBa, are at present little known, who 
shall shine brightly among the Lord's jewels in the day 
of His appearing. 

Let us learn, for another thing, from these verses, that 
God can make the devices ofivicked men work round to His 
own glory. 

We are taught that lesson in a striking manner, by 
the conduct of the priests and Pharisees, after our Lord 
was buried. The restless enmity of these unhappy men 
could not sleep, even when the body of Jesus was in the 
grave. They called to mind the words, which they 



401 

remembered he had said, about " rising again." They 
resolved, as they thought, to make His rising again im- 
possible. They went to Pilate. They obtained from 
him a guard of Roman soldiers. They set a watch over 
the tomb of our Lord. They placed a seal upon the 
stone. In short, they did all they could to " make the 
sepulchre sure."' 

They little thought what they were doing. They little 
thought that unwittingly they were providing the most 
complete evidence of the truth of Christ's coming resur- 
rection. They were actually making it impossible to 
prove that there was any deception or imposition. Their 
seal, their guard, their precautions, were all to become 
witnesses, in a few hours, that Christ had risen. They 
might as well have tried to stop the tides of the sea, or to 
prevent the sun rising, as to prevent Jesus coming forth 
from the tomb. They were taken in their own craftiness. 
(1 Cor. iii. 19.) Their own devices became instruments 
to shew forth God's glory. 

The history of the Church of Christ is full of examples 
of a similar kind. The very things that have seemed most 
unfavorable to God's people, have often turned out to be 
for their good. What harm did the " persecution which 
arose about Stephen" do to the Church of Christ ? They 
that were scattered went every where, preaching the word. 
(Acts vii.4.) — What harm did imprisonment do St. Paul ? 
It gave him time to write many of those Epistles, wdiich 
are now read all over the world. — What real harm did 
the persecution of bloody Mary do to the cause of the 
English Reformation ? The blood of the martyrs became 
the seed of the Church. — What harm does persecution 



402 



EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 



do the people of God at this very day ? It only drives 
them nearer to Christ. It only makes them cling more 
closely to the throne of grace, the Bible, and prayer. 

Let all true Christians lay these things to heart, and 
take courage. We live in a world where all things are 
ordered by a hand of perfect wisdom, and where all 
things are working together continually for the good of 
the body of Christ. The powers of this world are only 
tools in the hand of God. He is ever using them for 
His own purposes, however little they may be aware of 
it. — They are the instruments by which He is ever 
squaring and polishing the living stones of His spiritual 
temple, and all their schemes and plans will only turn to 
His praise. Let us be patient in the days of trouble 
and darkness, and look forward. The very things which 
now seem against us, are all working together for God's 
glory. We see but half now. — Yet a little, we shall see 
all. And we shall then discover that all the persecution 
we now endure was, like the seal and the guard, tending 
to God's glory. God can make the " wrath of man 
praise him." (Psalm lxxvii. 10.) 



MATTHEW XXVIII. 1—10. 



1 In the end of the sabbath, as it 
began to dawn toward the first day 
of the week, came Mary Magdalene 
and the other Mary to see the sepul- 
chre. 

2 And, behold, there was a great 
earthquake : for the angel of the Lord 
descended from heaven, and came and 
rolled back the stone from the door, 
and sat upon it. 

3 His countenance was like light- 
ning, and his raiment white as snow. 

4 And for fear of him the keepers 
did shake, and became as dead men: 

5 And the angel answered and said 



unto the women, Fear not ye : for I 
know that ye seek Jesus, which was 
crucified. 

6 He is not here : for he is risen, as 
he said. Come, see the place where 
the Lord lay. 

7 And go quickly, and tell his dis- 
ciples that he is risen from the dead : 
and, behold, he goeth before you into 
Galilee ; there shall ye see him : lo, I 
have told you. 

8 And they departed quickly from 
the sepulchre with fear and great joy ; 
and did run to bring his disciples 
word. 



CHAP. XXVIII. 403 



9 And as they went to tell his disci- 
ples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, 
All hail. And they came and held him 



10 Then said Jesus unto them, Be 
not afraid: go tell my brethren that 
they go into Galilee, and there shall 



by the feet, and worshipped him. I they see me. 

The principal subject of these verses is the resurrection 
of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead. It is one of 
those truths which lie at the very foundation of Christi- 
anity 7 and has therefore received special attention in the 
four G-ospels. All four evangelists describe minutely 
how our Lord was crucified. All four relate with no less 
clearness, that He rose again. 

We need not wonder that so much importance is 
attached to our Lord's resurrection. It is the seal and 
headstone of the great work of redemption, which He 
came to do. It is the crowning proof that He has 
paid the debt which He undertook to pay on our behalf, 
won the battle which He fought to deliver us from hell, 
and is accepted as our Surety and our Substitute by our 
Father in heaven. Had He never come forth from the 
prison of the grave, how could we ever have been sure that 
our ransom had been fully paid ? (1 Cor. xv. 17.) Had He 
never risen from His conflict with the last enemy, how could 
we have felt confident, that He has overcome death, and 
him that had the power of death, that is the devil ? (Heb. 
ii. 14.) But thanks be unto God, we are not left in doubt. 
The Lord Jesus really " rose again for our justification." 
True Christians are " begotten again unto a lively hope by 
the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." They may 
boldly say with Paul, " Who is he that condemneth : it 
is Christ that died, yea rather that is risen again." 
(Rom. viii. 34. Rom. iv. 25. 1 Peter i. 3.) 

We have reason to be very thankful, that this wonder- 



404 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

ful truth of our religion is so clearly and fully proved. 
It is a striking circumstance, that of all the facts of our 
Lord's earthly ministry, none are so incontrovertibly 
established as the fact that He rose again. The wisdom 
of God, who knows the unbelief of human nature, has pro- 
vided a great cloud of witnesses on the subject. Never 
was there a fact which the friends of God were so slow to 
believe, as the resurrection of Christ. Never was there 
a fact which the enemies of God were so anxious to 
disprove. And yet, in spite of the unbelief of friends, 
and the enmity of foes, the fact was thoroughly estab- 
lished. Its evidences will always appear to a fair and 
impartial mind unanswerable. It would be impossible to 
prove anything in the world, if we refuse to believe that 
Jesus rose again. 

Let us notice in these verses, the glory and majesty with 
which Christ rose from the dead. We are told that " there 
was a great earthquake." We are told that " the angel 
of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled 
back the stone from the door of the sepulchre, and sat 
upon it." We need not suppose that our blessed Lord 
needed the help of any angel, when He came forth from 
the grave. We need not for a moment doubt that He 
rose again by His own power. But it pleased God, that 
His resurrection should be accompanied and followed by 
signs and wonders. It seemed good that the earth should 
shake, and a glorious angel appear, when the Son of God 
arose from the dead as a conqueror. 

Let us not fail to see in the manner of our Lord's 
resurrection, a type and pledge of the resurrection of His 
believing people. The grave could not hold Him beyond 



CHAP. XXVITI. 405 

the appointed time, and it shall not be able to hold them. 
— A glorious angel was a witness of His rising, and 
glorious angels shall be the messengers who shall gather 
believers when they rise again. — He rose with a renewed 
body, and yet a body, real, true, and material, and so also 
shall His people have a glorious body, and be like their 
Head. — " When we see Him we shall be like Him." (1 
John iii. 2.) 

Let us take comfort in this thought. Trial, sorrow, 
and persecution are often the portion of God's people. 
Sickness, weakness, and pain often hurt and wear their 
poor earthly tabernacle. But their good time is yet to 
come. Let them wait patiently, and they shall have a 
glorious resurrection. When we die, and where we are 
buried, and what kind of a funeral we have, matters little. 
The great question to be asked is this, " How shall we 
rise again ?" 

Let us notice in the next place, the terror which 
Christ 's enemies felt at the period of His resurrection. We 
are told that at the sight of the angel, " the keepers did 
shake and become as dead men." Those hardy Koman 
soldiers, though not unused to dreadful sights, saw a 
sight which made them quail. Their courage melted at 
once at the appearance of one angel of God. 

Let us again see in this fact, a type and emblem of 
things yet to come. What will the ungodly and the 
wicked do at the last day, when the trumpet shall 
sound, and Christ shall come in glory to judge the world ? 
What will they do, when they see all the dead, both small 
and great, coming forth from their graves, and all the 
angels of God assembled round the great white throne ? 



406 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

What fears and terrors will possess their souls, when they 
find they can no longer avoid God's presence, and must 
at length meet Him face to face ? Oh ! that men were 
wise, and would consider their latter end ! Oh ! that 
they would rememher that there is a resurrection and a 
judgment, and that there is such a thing as the wrath 
of the Lamh ! 

Let us notice in the next place, the words of comfort 
which the angel addressed to the friends of Christ. We read 
that he said, " Fear not ye : for I know that ye seek 
Jesus, that was crucified/' 

These words were spoken with a deep meaning. They 
were meant to cheer the hearts of believers in every age, 
in the prospect of the resurrection. They were intended 
to remind us, that true Christians have no cause for 
alarm, whatever ma}^ come on the world. The Lord shall 
appear in the clouds of heaven, and the earth be burned 
up. The graves shall give up the dead that are in them, 
and the last day come. The judgment shall be set, and 
the books shall be opened. The angels shall sift the wheat 
from the chaff, and divide between the good fish and the bad. 
— But in all this there is nothing that need make believ- 
ers afraid. Clothed in the righteousness of Christ, they 
shall be found without spot and blameless. Safe in the 
one true ark, they shall not be hurt when the flood of 
God's wrath breaks on the earth. Then shall the words of 
the Lord receive their complete fulfilment : " when these 
things begin to come to pass, lift up your heads, for your 
redemption draweth nigh." Then shall the wicked and 
unbelieving see how true was that word, "blessed are the 
people whose God is the Lord." (Psalm xxxiii. 12.) 






CHAP. XXVIII. 407 

Let us notice, finally, the gracious message which the 
Lord sent to the disciples after His resurrection. He 
appeared in person to the women who had come to do 
honor to His body. Last at the cross and first at the 
tomb, they were the first privileged to see Him after He 
rose. And to them He gives commission to carry tidings 
to His disciples. His first thought is for His little 
scattered flock. " Go, tell my brethren/' 

There is something deeply touching in those simple 
words, "my brethren." They deserve a thousand thoughts. 
Weak, frail, erring as the disciples were, Jesus still calls 
them His " brethren." He comforts them, as Joseph 
did his brethren who had sold him, saying, " I am your 
brother Joseph." Much as they had come short of their 
profession, — sadly as they had yielded to the fear of 
man, — they are still His " brethren." Glorious as He 
was in Himself, — a conqueror over death, and hell, and 
the grave, the Son of God is still "meek and lowly of 
heart." He calls His disciples " brethren." 

Let us turn from the passage with comfortable thoughts, 
if we know anything of true religion. Let us see in these 
words of Christ, an encouragement to trust and not be 
afraid. Our Saviour is one who never forgets His people. 
He pities their infirmities. He does not despise them. 
He knows their weakness, and yet does not cast them 
away. Our great High Priest is also our elder brother. 



MATTHEW XXVIII. 11—20. 



11 Now when they were going, be- 
hold, some of the watch came into the 
city, and shewed unto the Chief 
Priests alJ the things that were done. 



12 And when they were assembled 
with the elders, and had taken coun- 
sel, they gave large money unto the 
soldiers, 



408 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 



13 Saying, . Say ye, His disciples 
came by night, and stole him away 
while we slept. 

14 And if this come to the gov- 
ernor's ears, we will persuade him 
and secure you. 

15 So they took the money, and did 
as they were taught : and this saying 
is commonly reported among the Jews 
until this day. 

16 Then the eleven disciples went 
away into Galilee, into a mountain 
where Jesus had appointed them. 



17 And when they saw him, they 
worshipped him : but some doubted. 

18 And Jesus came and spake unto 
them, saying, All power is given unto 
me in heaven and in earth. 

19 Go ye therefore, and teach all 
nations, baptizing them in the name 
of the Father, and of the Son, and of 
the Holy Ghost : 

20 Teaching them to observe all 
things whatsoever I have commanded 
you : and, lo, I am with you alway, 
even unto the end of the world. Amen. 



These verses form the conclusion of the Gospel of St. 
Matthew. They begin by shewing us what absurdities 
blind prejudice will believe, rather than believe the truth. 
They go on to shew us what weakness there is in the 
hearts of some disciples ; and how slow they are to believe. 
They finish by telling us some of the last words spoken 
by our Lord upon earth, — words so remarkable that they 
demand and deserve all our attention. 

Let us observe, in the first place, the honor which God 
has put on our Lord Jesus Christ. Our Lord says, " all 
power is given unto me, in heaven and earth/' 

This is a truth which is declared by St. Paul to the 
Philippians, " God hath highly exalted Him and given 
Him a name which is above every name/' (Phil. ii. 9.) It 
is a truth which in nowise takes away from the true no- 
tion of Christ's divinity, as some have ignorantly supposed. 
It is simply a declaration, that, in the counsels of the 
eternal Trinity, Jesus, as Son of man, is appointed heir 
of all things, — that He is the Mediator between God and 
man, — that the salvation of all who are saved is laid 
upon Him, — and that He is the great fountain of mercy, 
grace, life, and peace. It was for this "joy set before 
Him that He endured the cross." (Heb. xii. 2.) 

Let us embrace this truth reverently, and cling to it 
firmly. Christ is He who has the keys of death and 



409 

hell. Christ is the anointed Priest, who alone can ab- 
solve sinners. Christ is the fountain of living waters, in 
whom alone we can be cleansed. Christ is the Prince 
and Saviour, who alone can give repentance and remission 
of sins. In Him all fulness dwells. He is the way, the 
door, the light, the life, the Shepherd, the altar of refuge. 
He that hath the Son hath life, — and he that hath not 
the Son hath not life. May we all strive to understand 
this. No doubt men may easily think too little of God 
the Father, and God the Spirit, but no man ever thought 
too much of Christ. 

Let us observe, in the second place, the duty which Jesus 
lays on His disciples. He bids them " go and teach all 
nations." They were not to confine their knowledge to 
themselves, but communicate it to others. They were 
not to suppose that salvation was revealed only to the 
Jews, but to make it known to all the world. They were 
to strive to make disciples of all nations, and to tell the 
whole earth that Christ had died for sinners. 

Let us never forget that this solemn injunction is still 
in full force. It is still the bounden duty of every disciple 
of Christ to do all he can in person, and by prayer, to 
make others acquainted with Jesus. Where is our faith, 
if we neglect this duty ? Where is our charity ? It 
may well be questioned whether a man knows the value 
of the Gospel himself, if he does not desire to make it 
known to all the world. 

Let us observe, in the third place, the public profession 
which Jesus requires of those who believe His Gospel. He 
tells His apostles to " baptize" those whom they received 
as disciples. 

18 



410 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

It is very difficult to conceive when we read this last 
command of our Lord's, how men can avoid the conclu- 
sion that baptism is necessary, when it may be had. It 
seems impossible to explain the word that we have here 
of any but an outward ordinance, to be administered to 
all who join His Church. — That outward baptism is not 
absolutely necessary to salvation, the case of the penitent 
thief plainly shews. He went to paradise unbaptized. — 
That outward baptism alone often confers no benefit, the 
case of Simon Magus plainly shews. Although baptized, 
he remained " in the gall of bitterness and bond of in- 
iquity." (Acts iii. 23.) — But that baptism is a matter of 
entire indifference, and need not be used at all, is an 
assertion which seems at variance with our Lord's words 
in this place.* 

The plain practical lesson of the words is the necessity 
of a jDublic confession of faith in Christ. It is not 
enough to be a secret disciple. We must not be ashamed 
to let men see whose we are, and whom we serve. We 
must not behave as if we did not like to be thought 
Christians, but take up our cross and confess our Master 
before the world. His words are very solemn, " Whoso- 
ever shall be ashamed of me, — of him shall the Son of 
man be ashamed, when He cometh in the glory of His 
Father, with the holy angels." (Mark viii. 38.) 

* I purposely abstain from saying anything on the subject of infant 
baptism. There is nothing in this text which can be fairly used either 
way in settling this much-vexed controversy. It is certain that the 
missionaries of the Church of England carry out the meaning of this 
text as fully and thoroughly as the missionaries of Baptist churches. 

The point settled by the text is not so much what ought to be done 
with the children of Christians, as what ought to be done with hea- 
thens when converted. 



411 

Let us observe, in the fourth place, the obedience which 
Jesus requires of all who profess themselves His disciples. 
He bids the apostles " teach them to observe all things, 
whatsoever He has commanded them." 

This is a searching expression. It shews the useless- 
ness of a mere name and form of Christianity. It shews 
that they only are to be counted true Christians who 
live in a practical obedience to His word, and strive to 
do the things that he has commanded. The water of 
baptism, and the bread and wine of the Lord's Supper 
alone will save no man's soul . It profits nothing that we 
go to a place of worship and hear Christ's ministers, and 
approve of the Gospel, if our religion goes no further 
than this. — What are our lives ? What is our daily 
conduct, at home and abroad ? Is the Sermon on the 
Mount our rule and standard ? Do we strive to copy 
Christ's example ? Do we seek to do the things that 
He commanded ? — These are questions that must be 
answered in the affirmative, if we would prove ourselves 
born again and children of God. Obedience is the only 
proof of reality. Faith without works is dead, being 
alone. " Ye are my friends," says Jesus, " if ye do what- 
soever I command you." (John xv. 14.) 

Let us observe, in the fifth place, the solemn mention 
of the blessed Trinity which our Lord makes in these verses. 
He bids the apostles to baptize " in the name of the 
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." 

This is one of those great plain texts which directly 
teach the mighty doctrine of the Trinity. It speaks of 
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost as Three distinct persons, 
and speaks of all Three as co-equal. Such as the 



412 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS. 

Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Ghost. 
And yet these Three are One. 

This truth is a great mystery. Let it be enough to 
receive and believe it, and let us ever abstain from all 
attempts at explanation. It is childish folly to refuse 
assent to things that we do not understand. We are 
poor crawling worms of a day, and know little at our 
best about God and eternity. Suffice it for us to receive 
the doctrine of the Trinity in Unity, with humility and 
reverence, and to ask no vain questions. Let us believe 
that no sinful soul could be saved without the work of 
all three Persons in the blessed Trinity, and let us rejoice 
that Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, who co-operated to 
make man, do always co-operate to save him. Here let us 
pause. We may receive practically what we cannot ex- 
plain theoretically. 

Finally, let us observe in these verses, the gracious pro- 
mise with which Jesus closes His words. He says to His 
disciples " I am with you always even to the end of the 
world." 

It is impossible to conceive words more comforting, 
strengthening, cheering, and sanctifying than these. 
Though left alone, like orphan children in a cold, unkind 
world, the disciples were not to think they were deserted. 
Their Master would be ever " with them." Though 
commissioned to do a work as hard as that of Moses 
when sent to Pharaoh, they were not to be discouraged. 
Their Master would certainly be "with them." No 
words could be more suited to the position of those to 
whom they were first spoken. No words could be imagined 
more consolatory to believers in every age of the world. 



413 

Let all true Christians lay hold on these words and 
keep them in mind. Christ is "with as" always. Christ 
is "with us/' wherever we go. He came to be "Emmanuel, 
God with us," when He first came into the world. He 
declares that He is ever Emmanuel, "with us," when He 
comes to the end of His earthly ministry and is about to 
leave the world. He is with us daily to pardon and for- 
give,— with us daily to sanctify and strengthen, — with 
us daily to defend and keep, — with us daily to lead and 
to guide, — with us in sorrow, and with us in joy, — with 
us in sickness, and with us in health, — with us in life, and 
with us in death, — with us in time, and with us in eternity. 

What stronger consolation could believers desire 
than this ? Whatever happens, they at least are never 
completely friendless and alone. Christ is ever with 
them. They may look into the grave, and say with 
David, " though I walk through the valley of the 
shadow of death I will fear no evil, for thou art with 
me." They may look forward beyond the grave, and 
say with Paul, " we shall ever be with the Lord." 
(Psalm xxiii. 4. 1 Thes. iv. 17.) He has said it, and 
He will stand to it, " I am with you always, even to the 
end of the world." " I will never leave you and never 
forsake you." — We could ask nothing more. Let us go 
on believing, and not be afraid. It is everything to be a 
real Christian. None have such a King, such a Priest, 
such a constant Companion, and such an unfailing Friend, 
as the true servants of Christ. 



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